Ahead of the upcoming iPhone event that's set to kick off tomorrow, some Apple Store locations will have their windows blocked off with black curtains in order to make changes to the front window displays.
Twitter user Brian Roemmele yesterday tweeted a teaser about the upcoming change, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurmanexplained in another tweet that Apple is planning to bring back "the old-school 3D front windows" at some store locations.
An Apple retail employee contacted MacRumors and confirmed Gurman's report. Apple Store workers recently practiced putting up the black curtains and were also instructed to clean out and fix floor mechanisms that haven't been used in years. This likely includes wires and other equipment used for anchoring the front displays.
Apple previously used intricate, eye-catching window displays with cutouts and designs showing off new products and features, but the practice was discontinued with the launch of the updated Apple Store designs.
Former Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts and Jony Ive worked on the updated Apple Stores, but Ahrendts has since departed and Ive is set to leave the company at the end of the year, which is perhaps why Apple is now prepared to make some changes. Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's head of people, has taken over the company's retail initiatives.
Apple frequently changed its window display setups back when it used window displays, and many of the designs are still well known, such as the colored balls used for the iPhone 5c launch.
In some stores that have seen redesigns, it's not clear how the new window displays will work, but it looks like many retail store displays will soon get more interesting to look at.
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update.
Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September.
Below, we recap the key...
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then.
We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025.
iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them.
According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
Apple has confirmed that it will be permanently closing its retail store in the heart of Bristol, England, and there is no replacement in sight.
Apple Bristol in 2023
Apple Bristol will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 9, due to redevelopment plans at the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, and the adjacent Bristol Shopping Quarter. According to news reports, and a building application, the ...
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage.
The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
There have been complaints about ...
I am SO ready for a retro Apple (retro being, in my mind, a throwback to the mid 2000’s). Truly the golden era of Apple, where they weren’t afraid to make fun niche products, such as the iPod Shuffle. There was a time when Apple products really were fun! Where you felt excited to have an iPod or an iPhone in your pocket. It’s gotten so clinical over the years. Ive’s flat design plus Arendts making the stores “fashion designer” locations. Isn’t there a happy medium between 3D everything and completely flat? Isn’t there a way to make the products themselves trendy instead of relegating that to colorful cases? What the heck is the point of making the most beautiful product in the world just to cover it up in rubber?!
The current Apple Store design comes off as a little too sterile. I mean, it's nice and all, but Apple needs to have some fun with colors and decorations again.
I sure hope this signals the beginning of the end of flat, grey, hard to see UIs with tiny or non-existent controls and an excess of minimalism (is minimalism even minimalism anymore when it is extreme, or does that just make it another form of excess?) I just want things to be usable, visible, and functional again.
Man, I loved these so much. Some of the installations were awful (looking at you snow globe) but by and in large it was always wonderful to put up and see the fruits of your labor in the front of the stores.
