Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has learned (alternate link) that Apple will be introducing new technology this year that will allow workers at its retail stores to update iPhones even when they’re sealed in a box. The system, which has seemingly been devised because Apple users are frustrated about having to run a software update immediately after buying a new smartphone, is said to involve a proprietary pad-like device, which Apple Store employees can simply stack iPhone boxes on top of to push a software update. iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple’s latest flagship, is now available starting at $1,199.
When a customer buys a new iPhone from an Apple retail store, the device sometimes comes with outdated software. For instance, the first iPhone 15 models out of the factory shipped with iOS 17, but iOS 17.0.1 was already available by the time the devices were available for purchase. Buying a new iPhone without the latest software isn’t ideal, especially if there are some high-profile bugs. But that situation is about to change.
Apple is planning a new system for its retail stores that will update the software on iPhones prior to sale. The company has developed a proprietary pad-like device that the store can place boxes of iPhones on top of. That system can then wirelessly turn on the iPhone, update its software and then power it back down — all without the phone’s packaging ever being opened. The company aims to begin rolling this out to its stores before the end of the year.