Amazon is finally selling new iPhones after a long and complicated 'turf war' with Apple

Kif Leswing

  • Amazon will directly sell and ship the latest Apple products, a spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider.

  • The products sold by Amazon will include the latest iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

  • Previously, Amazon only sold a limited selection of Apple products, mainly focused on Mac computers and Beats.

  • As part of the deal, third-party sellers on Amazon who want to sell Apple or Beats products will need to become authorized Apple retailers, which will help cut down on counterfeiting and fakes.

Amazon will finally sell the latest iPhone, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider on Friday.

Amazon has signed a deal with Apple to offer the iPhone maker's latest products. Apple products will be shipped and sold by Amazon, including the most recent iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

This is the first time Amazon has sold the latest iPhone and iPad directly to customers.

"Amazon is constantly working to enhance the customer experience, and one of the ways we do this is by increasing selection of the products we know customers want. We look forward to expanding our assortment of Apple and Beats products globally," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.

Amazon will now directly sell a wide range of Apple computers and accessories, including:

  • iPad Pro

  • iPhone XR

  • iPhone XS

  • Apple Watch Series 4

  • Apple TV

  • Mac computers

  • Beats headphones

One notable exclusion is Apple's HomePod speaker, which competes directly with Amazon's Echo lineup. "We make assortment decisions all the time, based on terms and a large number of other factors," the spokesperson said.

Whether Amazon carried Apple products has been a point of contention in the past between the two technology giants. For example, Amazon stopped carrying the Apple TV in 2015 in what was called at the time a "turf war" between the tech giants.

Amazon has carried Apple products in the past, including Mac computers and Beats. In addition, previously, some Apple products and accessories on Amazon were not sold by Amazon itself, but rather through third-party sellers using the marketplace platform.

As part of the deal, only retailers who have been authorized by Apple can sell Beats and Apple products on Amazon.com, a new change noted in an email to sellers that was posted on several forums on Friday.

As part of the deal, anyone selling Apple products on Amazon without authorization will need to apply to become an authorized retailer, or Amazon will remove their listings, according to an email posted on several Amazon seller forums.

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CNET first reported the deal between Apple and Amazon. Apple didn't respond to a request for comment.

The email to sellers is reproduced below:

Dear Seller,

Amazon is constantly working to enhance the customer experience, and one of the ways we do this is by increasing selection of the products we know customers want. As part of a new agreement with Apple, we are working with a select group of authorized resellers to offer an expanded selection of Apple and Beats products, including new releases, in Amazon's stores.

You are receiving this message because you are currently selling, or have previously sold, Apple or Beats products. Your existing offers for those products will soon be removed from Amazon's online store in the United States. Please contact Apple if you would like to apply to become an authorized reseller on Amazon.

To prepare for this change, you may continue selling these products on Amazon through the holiday season until January 4, 2019. If you have any remaining inventory of these products in Amazon fulfillment centers on January 5, 2019, you will need to create a removal order. Amazon will reimburse you for the return or disposal fees through February 4, 2019. Please also note you will not be able to send shipments of these products to Amazon fulfillment centers effective December 1, 2018.

Thank you for selling on Amazon,
Amazon Services

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