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Apple Watch might target the fashion crowd in high-end Paris stores
How do you make a smartwatch appeal to the fashion set? By bringing it into their natural habitat: Ridiculously expensive retailers in fashion hubs. French news sites are reporting (via 9to5Mac) that Apple is setting up booths for the Apple Watch within high-end Paris stores like Galeries Lafayette (above) on the Champs Elysees. Don't forget that Apple isn't just targeting tech geeks with its smartwatch, it's also aiming at the same deep-pocketed consumers that keep the Swiss watch industry alive. To compete with the likes of Rolex and Richemont (whose watch brands include Cartier and Piaget), it needs to be in the same stores. And while the Apple Watch will start at $350, its fancier steel and gold versions will push its price into territory that the company's traditional devotees might have a tough time stomaching. Judging from the reports we've heard, the steel watch could go for more than $500, while the gold Apple Watch Edition could go for several thousand dollars.
Google Maps for Android takes navigation indoors for France, helps find your way through Carrefour
Interior navigation with Google Maps for Android has usually been the province of only a handful of regions at best. But what about Provence? While the deal isn't all-encompassing, Google is now serving indoor maps for popular locations throughout France. Coverage starts with the major airports in Paris and Lyon, extending to include major nationwide stores like Carrefour and FNAC, shopping centers like the Carrousel du Louvre and museums like La Géode. All told, over 50 venues have signed onboard and should be enough for those moments when you're rushing to catch a connecting flight at Orly... or just want to find the salad dressings in aisle three.
