Less than ten hours before the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus launch in Japan, at least one Apple Store in the country has begun setting up display models for customers to view. The new iPhones will go on sale in Japan at 8:00 AM local time on Friday just a few hours after the smartphones launch in Australia and New Zealand.
MacRumors reader Shawn DaSilva sent us a trio of photos and a video showing Apple retail employees installing the new iPhones at an Apple Store in Omotesando, Tokyo on Thursday evening. The new iPhones are also advertised on a digital banner spanning the length of the store.
Apple is no longer accepting pre-orders or in-store reservations in time for September 25, leaving lining up at an Apple Store as one of the only options to get a new iPhone on launch day. Apple is not allowing walk-in sales in China, Hong Kong, Japan and four tax-free U.S. states: Oregon, Delaware, New Hampshire and Alaska.
If you plan on waiting it out at an Apple Store, it is highly recommended that you reschedule any important plans tomorrow, as it can take several hours before you reach the front of the queue. In some cases, in-store stock of new iPhones may run out completely before you get a chance to buy one.
Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October.
There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times.
The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said.
While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone.
iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by Juli Clover
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio.
MacBook Air (Early 2026)
The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account.
In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
Walmart's Black Friday sale has officially kicked off today, with an online shopping event that's also seeing some matching deals in retail locations. There are quite a few major discounts in this sale, including savings on headphones, TVs, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose.
Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3.
AirDrop
Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts.
iOS 26.2...
If you plan on waiting it out at an Apple Store ('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/purchase-iphone-6s-launch-day-store/'), it is highly recommended that you reschedule any important plans tomorrow, as it can take several hours before you reach the front of the queue. In some cases, in-store stock of new iPhones may run out completely before you get a chance to buy one.
Amen, Brother...
Last year, I was about 1/3 the way back of a line of 200 at the King Street Store in Charleston, SC. I got there at 2am, and left at noon.
I wouldn't have traded it, though. The experience was fun, the people in line were nice, and the Apple people handed out breakfast.
But for most people there's no real difference between regular and "s" models this year.
I'm getting one for 2 gigs of ram and 7000 Aluminum. Who else cares about that stuff? Just a bunch of geeks like me, who preorder.
4 and 4s had Steve Jobs and Siri. 5 had bigger screen. 5s had touch ID and gold, a very nice shade that many people liked very much. 6 had big screens. What's the compelling feature this year? 3D touch? Most people hardly even know what that's going to be good for. Even geeks like me might turn it off. Maybe better camera will be a compelling feature but I doubt it. Pink is not compelling, period.
That must have been sarcasm, right? :rolleyes: :D , because all the reviews about 3D Touch have been overwhelmingly positive ranging from 'a very welcome addition' to 'a killer feature ('http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/iphone-6s-vs-iphone-6') that will probably show up in other phones sometime in the future'.
As you said, add to that 7000 Alu, the A9/M9 processors, LivePhotos, 2GB Ram, 12 Megapixel camera, 4k video, improved (twice as fast) TouchId, and an additional color choice, there's arguably plenty of reason for people to consider this upgrade.
So people complained when they got rid of lines for the Watch. Now they're complaining that anyone bothers lining up at all for the iPhone.
I'm sure they're not the same people. It's just this is what Apple is up against. Never mind the other half of MacRumors readers who like a little sensibility in their day...