Apple Store workers are reportedly ditching lanyards and switching shirt colors for holiday...

November 18, 2014

Apple Stores are once again gearing up for the holiday season, and this year that reportedly includes not only red shirts and gold, silver, and space-grey gift cards, but a few new twists as well. According to MacRumors:

Anonymous sources claim Apple's new gift cards will move to solid silver, gold and space gray designs to match the current styling of the iPad and iPhone. Similar to previous gift cards, these new gift cards can be used in store or online with a value up to $2000. They will debut starting today, November 17.

Other retail changes include the rollout of red holiday t-shirts to replace the traditional blue shirts for employees and the removal of the neck lanyard from the employees' standard retail uniform. The lanyard badge holders are distinctive to Apple and issued to current employees, but without the lanyard there will be more emphasis on employees introducing themselves to customers.

While a lot of this has become traditional for Apple during the holiday season, it's also supposedly part of a larger plan by senior vice president of Apple Stores, Angela Ahrendts to breathe new life into the retail operation.

Black Friday will be big, as will the holiday quarter. Then, of course, with the new year comes the Apple Watch and maybe more.