Apple's retail store unit has been generating some news over the past few days, so we've put together a roundup of some of the more significant items to summarize the latest developments.
- Apple opened its new Palo Alto store on Saturday. The new store replaces the company's previous downtown Palo Alto store that had typically been considered the company's "home store" and was occasionally visited by executives for major product launches. That store, opened in October 2001, was one of the first in Apple's retail chain.
Apple's new Palo Alto retail store
Apple CEO Tim Cook was on hand for the opening of the new store, which is roughly 50% larger than the original one and is one of the first of a new prototype design based on the Upper West Side store in Manhattan. Houston's Highland Village store opened earlier this year with a similar design, while the company is also using the concept for a replacement store in Santa Monica, California.
- As the massive Hurricane Sandy approaches the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast coast of the United States, Apple retail stores are making their own preparations. Business Insider shared several photos from CNN producer Jonathan Wald showing Apple's subterranean Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan with sandbags piled in front and display products wrapped in plastic.
Sandbags and taped windows at 14th Street store in Manhattan (Thanks, Ethan!)
ifoAppleStore notes that at least 35 Apple retail stores are located within the landfall prediction zone, and with many areas shutting down in advance of the storm it seems that Apple will be temporarily closing at least some locations from this group.
Construction barrier at Holiday Plaza store in Shenzhen (Source: M.I.C. gadget)
The location is notable as Shenzhen is the hub for much of Apple supply chain for its products, with Foxconn having massive facilities in the city dedicated to assembly of iOS devices. The city is also a hub for the counterfeiting industry and is the main point of entry for scalped products coming across the border from Hong Kong.
Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari.
More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain.
There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
Apple is entering its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade as multiple senior executives prepare to depart and CEO Tim Cook begins to shape the company's next generation of leaders, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Jeff Williams, who was viewed as Cook's potential successor for several...
Friday October 3, 2025 3:39 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor.
Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...
Saturday October 4, 2025 8:19 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's website offers a list of nearly 200 new features and changes (PDF file) included in the software update, released last month.
Apple also shared equivalent lists for iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe.
iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on General, and tap on Software Update.
Below, we have highlighted eight ...
Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends.
Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below.
Apple in October
Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023.
In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
After launching new iPhones last month, Apple is promoting iCloud+ with a prominent banner on its home page, in a bid to boost its services revenue. In addition to more storage, all iCloud+ plans include five perks for iPhone users.
As a refresher, iCloud includes 5GB of storage for free. If you want extra storage, you need to subscribe to an iCloud+ plan. In the United States, prices range...
On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the latest leaks about the next-generation iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, Studio Display, and Vision Pro.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
Earlier this week, an apparent unboxing video of an updated iPad Pro with the M5 chip was shared online. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip...
Now that would be appropriate architecture for Apple stores: made out of aluminum and glass, and then wrapped in rubber and and plastic film to keep them from getting scratched and broken.
I hope the flagship store won't get damaged, I love to visit dat one. And take care anyone else who gets influenced by sandy, like me :-/ at least school off, hehe
