Apple cooks up an iPhone sales storm

In a bid to push Apple to retail leadership, CEO Tim Cook will implement sweeping changes to the way iPhones are sold and marketed.

Plans to thwart the Android attack are under way in Cupertino, where 9to5Mac reports details of the plans were "described at a secretive summit" involving Apple Retail Store Leaders from across the globe.

"Cook reportedly spoke to Apple’s Retail Store Leaders for approximately three hours," the article wrote.

"During this time, Cook expressed satisfaction with the way Macs and iPads have been selling via Apple Stores, so he placed those two products on a figurative “back-burner” during his talk, according to two sources.

"One out of every four Macs sold across the globe are bought from an Apple Retail Store, Cook praised, but the Apple CEO noted his dissatisfaction that approximately 80% of all iPhones are not purchased from an Apple Store."

With Cook claiming to want the numbers to be more in line, Apple will develop new incentives to engage customers into buying directly from the Apple Store.

The Apple info website expects the changes to be announced at the company's quarterly meetings for retail stores on July 28.

Branding "Apple Retail as the face of Apple", Cook is also considering the idea of an iPhone trade-in launch, in a further bid to boost sales.

"Apple is starting an iPhone trade-in program this month aimed at getting users to upgrade to the iPhone 5 and turn in older models, people with knowledge of the plans said," reported Bloomberg.

Recent press that Samsung's Galaxy S4 has reached the 20 million sales mark will also act as a further reminder to Cook and co that Apple need to act fast to secure top spot in the smartphone market.

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