Apple gives DJI's new Phantom 4 drone prime retail shelf space in unprecedented partnership

Phantom 4 feature bay at an Apple Store. Via DJI.

Prominent, large displays at Apple retail stores have historically been reserved for Apple's own products. But that changed this week for the launch of DJI's new Phantom 4 drone, which has been given prime real estate at Apple Stores.

Apple is promoting the new flying camera with a large "feature bay" display featuring signage and a hands-on Phantom 4 drone and controller. Boxed units and accompanying accessories are also on display on the store floor for purchase.

Of course, third-party products that tie into the Apple ecosystem are found throughout Apple's stores. But the feature bay allocated to the DJI Phantom 4 represents a new level of promotion for a non-Apple product.

DJI representatives have also visited select Apple Stores to give hands-on training sessions with the Phantom 4. The drone is currently available at more than 400 Apple retail locations around the world.

Phantom 4 in-store training session. Via DJI.

Apple is the exclusive retail partner with DJI for the launch of the Phantom 4, though it will expand to other resellers in the coming weeks.

In unveiling the new model earlier this month, DJI director of strategic partnerships Michael Perry explained that most of his company's customers already use Apple products. The company's prosumer-focused line of Phantom drones integrate tightly with Apple's iOS ecosystem, allowing users to view and even control their drone via an iPhone or iPad.

Priced at $1,399, the Phantom 4 features advanced autopilot, auto-follow and object avoidance capabilities thanks to new cameras and sensors. Using an iPad or iPhone, users can select an object on screen that they want the drone to follow, and the Phantom 4 will automatically track and follow it intelligently avoiding obstacles.

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5 Comments

ireland

said about 8 years ago

Surely with all of Apple's money they could have made Phantom 4 Apple Store and online exclusive for the life of the product.

The_Martini_Cat

said about 8 years ago

Dude. I want it to follow me, as I attend political rallies. It would be good to have a guardian angel looking over my shoulder. For 11 or 12 minutes, anyways.

zoetmb

said about 8 years ago

ireland said:

Surely with all of Apple's money they could have made Phantom 4 Apple Store and online exclusive for the life of the product.

Since Apple by itself wouldn't sell as many as the broader market would, that would raise the price of an already expensive accessory for a relatively niche application. Apple doesn't have an exclusive on any other third-party products they sell - why do they need one on this? Frankly, I don't know why anyone buys third-party products from Apple anyway. Apple almost always sells such products at full list price when there are discounts frequently available on some of the products elsewhere. In fact, sometimes you can get better deals on Apple products from third parties (like those listed on AI) than you can get from Apple. Apple has done an amazing job of creating a mystique about the Apple Store that gets people to buy there at the same time that for most other products, consumers will switch vendors to literally save five cents.

But I think there could be a perceptual image problem here. Rightly or wrongly, many people perceive drones as devices used to invade privacy. At the same time Apple is pushing this product, they're fighting not to have to create a version of the iOS for the FBI to open a protected iPhone on the basis that doing so would threaten everyone's security and privacy.

Some may view both of these events together as Apple being hypocritical. I think the timing is quite bad. I realize the Phantom 4 was just released and Apple wouldn't want to delay selling it, but it would have been better if they could have waited until there are some further court rulings on the pending case.

rbonner

said about 8 years ago

Have to say as a owner, will never purchase again. The camera is super delicate, and support from DJI is non-existent. The experience you get from DJI is a polar opposite from the experience at Apple.