苹果计划整顿零售店布局,iPod重要性降级

 　　Apple is purportedly¹ tweaking the layout of its retail² stores to shine a light on more products.

　　据称，苹果正在调整其零售商店的布局，以使得更多产品能够在灯光下熠熠生辉。

　　One device that's changing location is the iPod, 9to5Mac said late Tuesday, citing intel from several Apple Retail managers briefed on the plans. Previously³, iPods were stored in the back room along with iPhones, iPads and other major products, so customers had to request one from a sales rep. Starting next Wednesday, Apple will display its latest iPod lineup in the accessory section so that customers can just pick one off the rack.

　　9to5 Mac援引几名苹果零售店经理对此计划的简要介绍，于周二晚些时候报道称，iPod的位置将发生改变。以前，iPod和iPhone，iPad以及其他主要商品，都储存在库房里，因此顾客在店员的帮助下才能拿到产品。但从下周三开始，苹果会将其最新款iPod陈列在配件区，因此顾客可以直接拿取现成的产品。

　　苹果计划整顿零售店布局,iPod重要性降级

　　Once Apple's core product before the introduction of the iPhone and iPad, the iPod has gradually become a less significant part of the lineup, accounting⁴ for a lower slice of sales. In July, Apple upgraded the iPod Touch with an 8-megapixel camera and a faster 64-bit processor and also increased the variety of colors available for the iPod Nano and Shuffle⁵. Relegating⁶ the iPod to the accessory rack can be seen as a type of demotion but also a better way to highlight the devices so they catch the eye of more consumers.

　　在iPhone和iPad问世之前，iPod曾是苹果的核心产品，然而现在在苹果的产品阵容中，iPod的重要性逐渐降低，其占销售份额的比重也进一步降低。7月份，苹果公司升级了iPod Touch，为其配备了800万像素的摄像头和更为迅捷的64位处理器，同时，增加了iPod Nano和Shuffle的颜色种类。将iPod移至配件区可被视为是一种降级，但同时这也是突出展示产品，吸引顾客眼球的一种更好的方法。

　　As part of the store revamp, Apple will also remove its iPad 2 Smart Signs. In the old days, Apple Stores used paper signs and poster boards to display information about its different products. In 2011, Apple replaced those signs and boards with non-working iPad 2 units that displayed product information on their screens. Referred to as Smart Signs, the units apparently⁷ confused some customers who thought they were working iPads that they could try out, 9to5Mac said.

　　作为此次商店整改的一部分，苹果公司也会移动iPad 2 Smart Signs的位置。过去，苹果零售店会用纸质标牌和广告纸板来展示其不同产品的信息。2011年，苹果公司用非正常运转的iPad 2代替了这些纸质标牌和广告纸板，在iPad 2的屏幕上展示商品信息。9to5 Mac称，被称为Smart Signs 的这些部件明显地使顾客感到困惑，顾客们还以为这是可正常操作的用来测试产品性能的机子。

　　Instead of the Smart Signs, Apple will put product and pricing information directly onto the displays of iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. By removing the Smart Signs, Apple will also create more space for other products that consumers can take for a test drive.

　　苹果公司将把产品和价格信息直接展示在iPhone，iPad和Mac电脑上，而不再是展示在Smart Signs屏幕上了。通过移动Smart Signs的位置，苹果公司将为其他产品创造更多空间，顾客也能够对产品进行试用。

　　The changes are slated⁸ to take place overnight on Tuesday, August 25, so that consumers who visit an Apple Store will see the revamp in action on Wednesday.

　　这些改变预计会发生在8月25日，星期二这天的一夜之间，因此参观苹果零售店的顾客在周三便可看到此次布局调整了。

1 purportedly   

adv.据称

参考例句：

• This is purportedly the oldest tree in the world. 据称这是世界上最古老的一棵树。 来自互联网
• Mayor Oh Se-Hoon launched the campaign last year, purportedly to improve efficiency. 据悉，首尔市市长吴世勋于去年提出了这项旨在提高工作效率的计划。 来自互联网

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

5 shuffle   

n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走

参考例句：

• I wish you'd remember to shuffle before you deal.我希望在你发牌前记得洗牌。
• Don't shuffle your feet along.别拖着脚步走。

6 relegating   

v.使降级( relegate的现在分词 )；使降职；转移；把…归类

参考例句：

7 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。