Staples carries all manner of phones, tablets and other devices, though the retailer has yet to reach an agreement with Apple in the U.S. - unless of course, it already has.
According to AppleInsider, several Staples executives - including the retailer's senior vice president of global human resources, Regis Mulot - tweeted on Thursday that Staples will soon carry Apple products in the U.S.
Staples' strategic accounts coordinator, Erin LaFlamme, and field services manager, Mike Goggin, reportedly tweeted the news as well. AppleInsider reported that those executives and others were at a corporate meeting at the time.
We say "reportedly" because the tweets have apparently all been deleted or made private - the personnel were likely admonished for leaking this news, as if being stuck with your coworkers in a meeting on Valentine's Day wasn't bad enough.
The incriminating tweets
Mulot's tweet, before being deleted, reportedly read, "After Canada, #Apple products are coming to #Staples in US. Great news!"
LaFlamme's: "Thanks #Apple for letting #Staples sell you...oh, and for the delicious apple products to celebrate at…" with an Instagram picture of an apple-flavored beer and what appears to be an apple tart.
Goggin wrote, "Staples just finalized a deal to begin selling Apple products," accompanied by the appropriate hashtag "#finally."
iPads and iMacs and MacBooks, oh my
Staples already sells iPads, iPods, MacBooks, iMacs, and countless Apple accessories in its stores and online in Canada, though notably it seems the retailer doesn't stock iPhones.
Still, it's unclear exactly which products will be made available in the U.S.
Given the number of tweets that reportedly went out Feb. 14 and the speed with which the messages were deleted, we don't much doubt the veracity of this particular report.
Still, TechRadar asked Staples and Apple for clarification and will update this story if and when the companies respond. Perhaps we'll get an early bird discount?
