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Daily Update for October 25, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple Stores will open at 8 AM November 1 for iPad Air launch
Want to be one of the first people to latch onto a lightweight, streamlined iPad Air? Apple will be opening its stores at 8 AM local time on November 1 for those who want to pick up the latest version of the popular tablet. While the start of online sales has not been announced, it's anticipated that Apple will follow the script used by the recent iPhone 5s launch, where online sales began at 12:01 AM Pacific Time. Also following the sales model of the iPhone 5s, Apple is not taking pre-orders online. For past iPads, buyers could pre-order online for home or office delivery on the day of launch. If you're holding out for the Retina display iPad mini, you'll have to wait until later in November.
Anki Drive available in Apple Stores
One of the most remarkable gaming moments at this year's WWDC keynote was the debut of Anki Drive, a racing game that allows players to pit an iOS controlled toy car against a computer controlled competitor. The car is equipped with sensors that allow it to intuitively provide a challenging opponent for the player. Anki Drive is now available for purchase in Apple Stores nationwide. The starter kit, which retails for $200, comes with a vinyl track and two cars. Additional cars are available for $70 apiece. Each car has unique statistics and attributes including different levels of acceleration. Gamers can look forward to multiplayer support alongside the single player modes. The Anki Drive app is free to download in the App Store, so if you've got a friend with Anki you'll be able to play along.
During the last 4 months, Apple paid out $25 million per day to iOS developers
During yesterday's media event, Tim Cook gave us his typical update on all things App Store. Specifically, Cook informed us that the App Store now houses more than 1 million apps and has seen more than 60 billion downloads. But there's one data point in particular that's worth some extra attention, namely that Apple has thus far paid out US$13 billion to iOS developers. Now anytime you're talking about "billions," you're clearly talking some serious business. Indeed, the $13 billion figure is so large it's easy to casually gloss over its significance. To help put the figure into perspective, here are some facts about Apple's App Store payouts to developers over the past five years. 1. The App Store has grossed $18.57 billion, with Apple keeping $5.57 billion of that. With the $13 billion figure, and Apple's 70/30 revenue split, it's easy to deduce how much money Apple has grossed and netted. Since the App Store first opened up for business in July of 2008, Apple has netted $18.57 billion. Of that total, $13 billion was paid out to developers with Apple keeping the remaining $5.57 billion. 2. Apple's monthly payout to developers are not just increasing, they're also accelerating. It took Apple nearly two years (June of 2010) to reach the $1 billion payment threshold to developers. Since then, the number of iOS devices has exploded, and naturally, the payouts to developers have increased at an accelerated rate. From January 2012 to January 2013, Apple's payout to developers increased from $4 billion to $7 billion. That payout comes out to an average of $250 million a month to developers over the 12-month timeframe. From June 2012 to June 2013, Apple's payout to developers increased from $5 billion to $10 billion, representing a cool $5 billion in payments in 12 months. That comes out to about $416 million per month in developer payouts during the 12-month timeframe. From June 2013 to October 2013, Apple's payout to developers jumped from $10 billion to $13 billion. That's an increase of $3 billion in just four months. Translation? During the last fourth-month period, Apple has been paying out an average of $750 million per month to developers. 3. Over the last four months, Apple has paid out $25 million PER DAY to developers. An average of $750 million per month comes out to $25 million per day in developer payouts. Again, that's $25 million every single day. 4. In one month, Apple pays to developers more money than the cumulative 2013 payroll of the three Major League Baseball teams with the highest payrolls. The 2013 payroll for the New York Yankees was $228 million. The Dodgers come in second with $216 million, while the Phillies come in third with $165 million. If you add that all together, Apple could cover those teams' entire 2013 payroll with just one month of developer payouts.
Apple Store is down; let the event countdown commence
Today's the day for Apple's October event, with expected iPads, Macs and Mavericks on the horizon, and now the Apple Store is down! As we wait for the big event to get started, take a gander at our predictions post and leave your thoughts in the comments! Be sure to check back at 12:45 PM ET/9:45 AM PT for the start of TUAW's liveblog of the event, hosted by the ever-lovely Erica Sadun, the dashingly distinguished Steve Sande and more!
The parallels between Angela Ahrendts tenure at Burberry and Steve Jobs' return to Apple
The more I read about Angela Ahrendts, Apple's new retail hire, the more it becomes clear that she will be a valued and effective addition to Apple's executive team. What's more, Ahrendts views on retail and the consumer experience seem to align quite well with Apple's unique culture. This is not a point to be overlooked given that executives who don't mesh well with Apple's culture don't typically last long; the departures of Mark Papermaster of IBM and John Browett of Dixons come to mind. Coming from Burberry, Ahrendts understand the world of retail luxury, a niche Apple operates and owns with unparalleled efficiency. On a broader level, Ahrendts shares Apple's view that to create a truly compelling products and a profoundly satisfying user experience, control is paramount. ObamaPacman last Thursday tipped us off to a worthwhile article penned by Ahrendts in an early 2013 issue of the Harvard Business Review. The article details Ahrendts early days at Burberry and how she was able to turn an "aging British icon into a global luxury brand." Overall, the way Ahrendts was able to turn around a then slumping Burberry parallels in many ways Steve Jobs resurrection of Apple following his return. Further, the business philosophy underlying many of her decisions also aligns rather nicely with Apple's own. A few excerpts in particular stand out. When I became the CEO of Burberry, in July 2006, luxury was one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. With its rich history, centered on trench coats that were recognized around the world, the Burberry brand should have had many advantages. But as I watched my top managers arrive for our first strategic planning meeting, something struck me right away. They had flown in from around the world to classic British weather, gray and damp, but not one of these more than 60 people was wearing a Burberry trench coat. I doubt that many of them even owned one. If our top people weren't buying our products, despite the great discount they could get, how could we expect customers to pay full price for them? Sound familiar? Recall that Apple executives, and Steve Jobs in particular, stated on numerous occasions that Apple only creates products that they themselves would want to use. Ahrendts continues: It was a sign of the challenges we faced. Even in a burgeoning global market, Burberry was growing at only 2% a year. The company had an excellent foundation, but it had lost its focus in the process of global expansion. We had 23 licensees around the world, each doing something different. We were selling products such as dog cover-ups and leashes. One of our highest-profile stores, on Bond Street in London, had a whole section of kilts. There's nothing wrong with any of those products individually, but together they added up to just a lot of stuff-something for everybody, but not much of it exclusive or compelling. Again, we see a parallel to Steve Jobs' return to Apple and the epic company transformation that followed. Recall that Jobs, upon returning to Apple, was dumbfounded by Apple's extensive and somewhat confusing product lineup. Jobs even remarked once that if he couldn't figure out the difference between the myriad of products Apple was selling, how could he expect consumers to? Driving the point home, take a look at this timeline of released Apple products from 1995 and 1996. So without missing a beat, Jobs proceeded to simplify Apple's product lineup, declaring that Apple just needed to focus on four areas; desktops for either professionals or consumers, and laptops for either professionals or consumers. Like Ahrendts at Burberry, Jobs recognized that spreading yourself too thin resulted in products that were neither "exclusive or compelling." In describing one of the challenges Burberry faced in 1996, Ahrendts explains that she was up against some stiff competition from the likes of companies like Louis Vuitton. We wanted a share of the disposable income of the world's most elite buyers-and to win it, we'd have to fight for prime real estate in the world's most rapidly growing consumer markets. In many ways, it felt like a David-and-Goliath battle. In a similar vein, Apple has never been blindly motivated by marketshare. On the contrary, Apple attracts the premium end of the markets it enters, one of the reasons Apple controls the lion's share of the profits in the smartphone industry. The parallels don't end there. Upon assuming the helm at Burberry, Ahrendts immediately set her sights on gauging the state of the Burberry brand. What she found was was a disjointed operation, with licensees across the globe making the same products with varying levels of quality. Her solution? A design superstar capable of re-establishing the unique luxury of Burberry's product line. Great global brands don't have people all over the world designing and producing all kinds of stuff. It became quite clear that if Burberry was going to be a great, pure, global luxury brand, we had to have one global design director. We had an incredible young designer named Christopher Bailey, with whom I'd worked at Donna Karan and who I knew was a sensational talent. So I introduced him early on as the "brand czar." I told the team, "Anything that the consumer sees-anywhere in the world-will go through his office. No exceptions." At this point, the parallel game might be getting old, but note the similarity to Jobs bestowing similar responsibility upon a then relatively unknown designer named Jony Ive. At Apple, Ahrendts will not be tasked with turning Apple around. On the contrary, Apple is a well oiled machine that doesn't need any saving. Instead, she will be tasked with expanding and enhancing. To that end, Ahrendts piece in the Harvard Business Review illustrates a retail philosophy that, once again, mimics Apple's own. To strengthen our retail operation, we decided to focus on markets where our competitors already had a presence, signaling the right kind of consumers to support a luxury brand. As our first blueprint for expansion, we identified every market in the world where two of our peers had stores and we had none. In the past six years we've opened 132 new stores, and we've refocused our retailing staff on outerwear. ... We established strong sales and service programs to put product education front and center. We created videos to demonstrate Burberry craftsmanship: All the collars are hand-rolled and hand-stitched. We equipped our sales associates with iPads and our stores with audiovisual technology to show these videos to best effect. Ahrendts entire article almost reads like a case study on Apple, albeit with the company name changed to Burberry. Ahrendts has a lot of experience in advertising to and attracting luxury customers. She understands the importance of digital marketing and the impact that media such as music and "storytelling" can have on the consumer. She understands what it takes to successfully market expensive items when cheap alternatives are plentiful. From Ahrendts point of view, it's not just about the product, it's about the entire experience. It's about what the consumer sees and feels upon walking into a retail store. It's about the quality of the craftsmanship that goes into the products. It's about hiring passionate people who are knowledgeable about the products they're selling. Furthermore, Ahrendts, like Apple, appreciates the importance of controlling the entire widget so to speak. In a profile on her in the Guardian, Ahrendts explained that "if you can't control everything, you can't control anything, not really." Taken together, Ahrendts seems like the perfect fit for Apple. When John Browett was initially hired by Apple, the move was greeted with skepticism from those who were familiar with Dixons, a retail store that many pointed out sold cheap electronics in storefronts that were often disorganized. To that end, Browett himself noted that he never quite "fit" in at Apple. All of the information that's come to light about Ahrendts seems to indicate that she will not have that problem. Again, Apple retail stores don't need saving. Rather, they need someone capable of enhancing them, expanding them, pushing into new markets and keeping them fun, hip, and educational places for consumers to come visit and shop. Her history at Burberry strongly she suggests that she is just the person for the job.
What it's like to work Apple retail on iPhone day
Apple retail stores are typically crowded. On iPhone release day, however, they turn into absolute zoos, with stores packed to the brim and lines often extending out of the store. Now that the iPhone is more than 6 years old, the hysteria surrounding an iPhone launch has subsided a tad. Still, it's an event unto itself and Gizmodo recently ran a piece from an anonymous Apple retail store employee who describes in exquisite detail what it was like to be on the front lines in the days preceding and following the iPhone 5s and 5c launch. The anonymous employee, who writes under the name J.K. Appleseed (perhaps Johnny Appleseed's long lost brother?), notes that his Apple retail store began receiving truckloads of iPhones about 12 hours before opening on launch day. With 10 minutes to go until the doors open, it was time for a store pep talk: We make a big blue huddle. Black curtains block the view into our glass wall. We can't see them, but they're all out there, waiting. The customers. The camera crews. The police. Our store manager has really amazing hair. It doesn't move while he delivers an earnest, if predictable pep talk. How are we feeling, have fun, make each customer count, don't talk to the media, remember we catered lunch, this is what it's all about-and have fun. Two minutes to go and the scene on the inside is seemingly as hectic as it is on the outside. Party music blasts. Don't casinos flood gambling floors with oxygen? We should do that. Some employees dance. Most clap. I don't want to clap at first, but there are some very cute co-workers I haven't met before-I guess we must be on different work schedules-and they're clapping, so I find myself clapping when two managers suddenly sweep back the curtains and open the door. 3... 2... 1... ZERO! We all clap and cheer the first customer through the doors. He looks young. He's stuffed his camping gear into a backpack, and he raises his fists to receive the ovation. We keep on clapping for the next 20 or 30 shoppers who file in, subtracting one clapper per customer. My hands start to sting. As the clapping finally fades, one customer comes in and does a little touchdown shimmy, which raises just enough temporary applause to be slightly awkward. The entire piece is well worth a read as our anonymous Mr. Appleseed details some behind-the-scenes happenings that occur during launch day and also covers what it's like inside Apple retail in the days following a huge product launch. All in all, the article provides some cool insight into a world that we don't often hear about from the inside out.
In email to employees, Tim Cook calls Angela Ahrendts "wicked smart"
After a search that took nearly a year, Apple announced today that Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts will be joining Apple this spring, where she will take on the role of senior VP of Retail and Online Stores. Earlier today, Tim Cook sent out a company-wide email announcing the hire and praising Ahrendts as being the "best person in the world for this role." 9to5Mac was able to get its hands on the email, which reads: Team, I am thrilled to announce that Angela Ahrendts will be joining Apple as a senior vice president and member of our executive team, reporting directly to me. Angela is currently the CEO of Burberry. She will lead both our retail and online teams. I have wanted one person to lead both of these teams for some time because I believe it will better serve our customers, but I had never met anyone whom I felt confident could lead both until I met Angela. We met for the first time last January, and I knew in that meeting that I wanted her to join Apple. We've gotten to know each other over the past several months and I've left each conversation even more impressed. She shares our values and our focus on innovation. She places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience. She cares deeply about people and embraces our view that our most important resource and our soul is our people. She believes in enriching the lives of others and she is wicked smart. Angela has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record. She led Burberry through a period of phenomenal growth with a focus on brand, culture, core values and the power of positive energy. Angela will need to focus over the coming months on transitioning her current role at Burberry and will then join Apple in the spring. I am sure as all of you meet her, you will see why I am so excited that she is joining our executive team. I'd like to add a special thanks to all of our retail leaders. Your strength, talent and leadership afforded me the luxury of taking the time to perform an exhaustive search to find the best person in the world for this role. Tim Also a fan of the hire is Ron Johnson, Apple's first retail executive, who is largely responsible for transforming Apple retail into the commercial success it is today. On Apple's new hire, Ron Johnson tells @BloombergTV in statement she's a "terrific choice," will be "exceptionally well received" - Jon Erlichman (@JonErlichman) October 15, 2013
Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts to join Apple as Senior VP of Retail and Online Stores
Burberry has confirmed that Angela Ahrendts will be stepping down from her role as CEO and will be joining Apple as the company's senior VP of Retail. Apple of course has been without a retail chief since Tim Cook unceremoniously gave John Browett a pink slip nearly one year ago. Browett's tenure as Apple's head retail guru wasn't exactly smooth, and one can make a case that Apple retail has effectively been operating without a firm retail chief ever since Ron Johnson left the company in November 2011. As Ahrendts gears up to join Apple's executive team some time in mid-2014, it's interesting to note that she will occupy a "newly created position" to the extent that she will oversee operations at Apple's retail stores along with its online store. Apple's press release reads in part: Ahrendts will have oversight of the strategic direction, expansion and operation of both Apple retail and online stores, which have redefined the shopping experience for hundreds of millions of customers around the world. Apple retail stores set the standard for customer service with innovative features like the Genius Bar®, Personal Setup and One to One personal training to help customers get the most out of their Apple products. "I am thrilled that Angela will be joining our team," said Cook. "She shares our values and our focus on innovation, and she places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience. She has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record." "I am profoundly honored to join Apple in this newly created position next year, and very much look forward to working with the global teams to further enrich the consumer experience on and offline," said Ahrendts. "I have always admired the innovation and impact Apple products and services have on people's lives and hope in some small way I can help contribute to the company's continued success and leadership in changing the world." Prior to Burberry, Ahrendts held senior positions at both Liz Claiborne and Donna Karan. Now seeing as how Ahrendts comes to Apple with a tremendous amount of fashion and luxury retail experience, it's worth remembering that she isn't the only fashion-centric CEO Apple has hired in recent months. This past June, Apple brought former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve on board to work on "special projects."
Apple hit with second class action suit regarding overtime pay
For the second time, Apple has been hit with a class action lawsuit from a former employee who claims that he was not fairly compensated for "off the clock" activities that should have been subject to overtime pay. Recall that a similar suit was filed against Apple back in July of this year. The latest lawsuit was filed by Taylor Kalin, who worked for more than two years at an Apple retail store in Spokane, Wash. Kalin alleges that as an employee, he was required to stand in line in order to check devices in and out. What's more, he was also required to stand in line for security checks before leaving on his lunch break for the day. These lines, the suit alleges, were often so long that employees would routinely have to wait upwards of 30 minutes before being able to leave, even though they were already off the clock. Kalin's attorney, Peter R. Dion-Kindem, explained to Law360: Apple has the policy and practice of forcing its employees to undergo security screenings when leaving for lunch and at the end of the day, but fails to compensate its employees for the time they are forced to wait in these lines. Apple also improperly fails to pay its employees for time spent waiting to 'clock in' before work and after meal breaks and for time checking in equipment used by its employees. Kalin is asking for statutory damages, restitution, injunctive relief and attorneys fees.
Apple launches iPhone trade-in program in the UK
Apple has officially launched its iPhone trade-in program in the UK. Officially called the Reuse and Recycling Program, the initiative allows users to receive in-store credit for their current mobile phone to use towards the purchase of a new iPhone. The iPhone trade-in program has been live in the US for some time, but its UK launch marks new territory. To be sure, you're still better of selling your old iPhone yourself -- via services like eBay or Gumtree -- as Apple doesn't give you as much money for your device as you could otherwise get. For example, an unlocked black, 32 GB iPhone 5 in perfect condition only nets you £230 from Apple, while you could easily get over £400 for such a device on Gumtree. Still, the program will benefit those who want a simple and fast way to get credit for their old phones when buying a new iPhone.
iPhone 5s now shipping in 2 to 3 weeks
Good news to all of you still trying to get your hands on the new iPhone 5s; Apple's official ship times in the US online store now list the flagship iPhone as shipping in two to three weeks. That goes for all models of the iPhone 5s, in all storage sizes and all colors -- including gold. The two- to three-week ship time, while still frustratingly long for those longing for the 5s, is much better than the rather ambiguous "October" ship time still listed for Apple online stores in Europe and many other pats of the world. However, no matter what country you are in, if you don't want to wait two to three weeks for your iPhone 5s, you could always try your luck and just walk into an Apple store to see what's available. Each retail store gets daily shipments of the various models, and though the pickings are slim, chances are if you try often enough, you'll walk out with an iPhone 5s sooner than you would get one if you waited three weeks for it to ship.
Apple to open first retail store in Turkey in January 2014
As it stands today, there are 416 Apple retail stores around the world spread out across 13 countries. Soon, that number will be 14 with word that Turkey will be graced with its first Apple retail store in just a few months. Set to open up at the Zorlu Center in Istanbul in January of 2014, the retail space will be 2,000 square meters which equates to about 21,000 square feet. The retail space will be located in the "most visible" portion of the shopping space and will be lodged between two other high-end retailers: Burberry and Louis Vuitton. News of the impending Apple store in Instanbul first appeared in The Wall Street Journal early on Thursday and was spotted by MacRumors. As for the store design, the WSJ relays that the store will feature a glass ceiling and will be "one of the most ambitious in the world." The report also claims that Apple has plans to open three more retail stores across the country. It's no secret that Apple has billions of dollars in the bank, and Tim Cook explained back in February that one of the ways Apple plans to spend it is to revamp its current retail stores and to open up new stores across the globe.
Apple bringing iPhone 5s and 5c to more than 35 countries by November 1st
Apple appears to have weathered its iPhone supply issues because its newest smartphones are set to go on a world tour. The company announced today that it will launch the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in Italy, Russia, Spain and over 25 new markets on October 25th, heading to further ten new markets by November 1st. As always, the new iPhones will available through Apple retail stores, online and select Apple Authorized Resellers. You can find the full list of countries just after the break.
Apple's online store is down
A number of readers have emailed to tell us that Apple's online store is down. Apple usually takes the store down for maintenance or right before the introduction of a new product. There's no telling for which reason the store is down this time, but if it were to be down for a product update, it would most likely be for new Haswell MacBook Pros, as the latest spec-bumped Haswell iMacs were announced with little fanfare and just an Apple Store update. Apple's System Status page says the store will be down until 10 AM because it's "being updated." We'll let you know as soon as it's back up. Update: It's back up. We're poking around to find changes.
Apple's relocated Palisades store to open in West Nyack, NY on October 10
Apple announced that its relocated Palisades store will be opening three miles away on Thursday in its new location in West Nyack, NY. The move will give the former Palisades store more visibility and foot traffic, as it will be in the new open-air shopping center "The Shops at Nanuet," which also opens October 10. As noted by MacRumors, Apple typically gives out freebies such as T-shirts for store openings, so if you're one of the first 1,000 people through the doors, you could walk away with some Apple swag. The store opens at 10 AM.
Tim Kobe: Apple Store chain not evolving
Tim Kobe is the co-founder of the design firm 8 Inc., and was one of the early designers involved in the Apple Store. Interviewed by the Dezeen website after the Inside interior design conference in Singapore, Kobe said that Apple's retail experience is "not evolving as fast as it could be." Kobe thinks that "the design is getting a little long in the tooth," and that "retail is a competitive environment, and I think Apple's ready for that next shift." While Apple's retail results seem to prove that the design is working just fine, thank you, Kobe feels that "Since Steve passed away the momentum has slowed down a bit. It's imperative Apple shifts again. They should really refresh every five years." So, TUAW readers, do you think that Apple needs to update the general design of the Apple Store chain? Or do you not really think about the layout and design of an Apple Store when you're visiting? Let us know in the comments. [via ifoAppleStore]
Easy way to check iPhone 5s in-store availability near you
If you are in the USA and trying to buy an iPhone 5s, head over to http://iphone-check.herokuapp.com/, enter your zip code, cellphone carrier and pick a color, and then it will show you availability at Apple Stores "near you." I used the site to find a Verizon, 16 GB, Space Gray iPhone 5s in my area. I placed an order for in-store pickup, and about two hours later I was walking out of the Apple Store with a new iPhone. Two caveats: First, "near you" is a relative term. The site seems to always show 20 Apple Stores, but some of them might be quite a distance from you. For me, the last store on the list was about 350 miles (and nearly a six-hour drive) away. Each result is linked to an Apple Retail Store, so if you aren't sure where it is, click on it to get the address. Second, availability can change fast. My local Apple Retail Store said that they were only filling orders through http://store.apple.com, which had been designated as "in-store pickup." The good news is that I knew I had an iPhone waiting for me before I got into the car. I definitely recommend using that method rather than driving to the store and hoping that they still have what you want in stock.
'Surprise' Apple Store to open in Nanuet, New York
When a new Apple Store is planned and construction begins, there's usually a notice on ifoAppleStore -- the web's go-to site for Apple Store information -- and lots of speculation about when the new retail outlet will open. Well, even ifoAppleStore was surprised by an announcement of a new Apple Store to be located in The Shops at Nanuet about 20 miles north of Manhattan. The announcement was made public this morning on the Facebook page for the mall, with a note saying that, "The newest store to join the amazing lineup at The Shops at Nanuet needs no introduction," and featuring an Apple logo. The mall has been undergoing extensive redevelopment, and has a grand re-opening set for between October 10-13. It's expected that the new Apple Store will open on the first day of that event.
Apple patents Shanghai Apple Store's glass cylinder entryway
It's no secret that Apple devotes a lot of attention to the design of its retail stores. From the type of wood that graces the tabletops to the design of the staircases within, nothing is overlooked. One of Apple's most unique retail stores is its Shanghai location, notable for its impressive and elegant glass cylinder entryway. Now, AppleInsider reports that Apple has officially been granted a patent on the design. Apple's US Patent No. 8,544,217 not only covers the design of the cylinder, but more specifically the type of glass and construction methods used to erect such a structure. Like the flagship Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York, the Shanghai cylinder is made almost entirely out of huge monolithic glass slabs, with only connecting joints fashioned out of metal. The Chinese build is more complex, however, as the specifications required the glass pieces required be curved to form arcs. These panels were then joined to create a circle and ultimately a cylinder. Consequently, the patent encapsulates construction advancements that were developed to ensure that the structure remained sufficiently sturdy along with methods detailing how to curve the glass panels to the exact shape needed to form a perfect cylinder.
