Apple Planning System for Retail Stores to Update iPhone Software With No Need to Open Box

Apple is planning to implement an innovative new system that allows retail store staff to wirelessly update iPhones inside their sealed boxes, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple Store Vancouver Canada
In the most recent "Power On" newsletter, Gurman outlined how Apple plans to tackle brand new iPhones being sold in retail stores with outdated software. For example, the iPhone 15 lineup shipped with iOS 17, but iOS 17.0.1 was already available upon its launch and the devices required a update to iOS 17.0.2 to fix an issue that prevented the transfer of data directly from another iPhone during the setup process.

Apple wants customers to receive iPhones with the latest version of iOS to avoid users having to update themselves, especially if important updates have been pushed to address high-profile bugs. Before the end of the next year, Apple will apparently provide a new system to retail stores to address this. It features a "proprietary pad-like device" that retail store staff can place a sealed ‌iPhone‌ box on top of. The system then wirelessly turns on the ‌iPhone‌, updates its software to the latest version, and powers it off, with no need to open the device's packaging.

Top Rated Comments

thisisnotmyname Avatar
8 months ago
Sounds like a great new attack vector for high level (state sponsored and such) hacking
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
8 months ago
Bravo apple. Very cool idea.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Capeto Avatar
8 months ago

Sounds like a great new attack vector for high level (state sponsored and such) hacking
Exactly what I was thinking– having a way to wirelessly change the software on your phone when it's off seems like a huge security risk.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tenkaykev Avatar
8 months ago

So everytime a new update comes out all the iphone inventory has to be taken out and placed on that pad? Many stores have hundreds if not thousands of iPhones in all models, colours and capacities. How many pads per store are needed for this system to be effective? Seems like a nightmare for employees…
Schrodingers update. Did it update successfully ? ?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Franjelisco Avatar
8 months ago
So everytime a new update comes out all the iphone inventory has to be taken out and placed on that pad? Many stores have hundreds if not thousands of iPhones in all models, colours and capacities. How many pads per store are needed for this system to be effective? Seems like a nightmare for employees…
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djphat2000 Avatar
8 months ago

Sounds like a great new attack vector for high level (state sponsored and such) hacking
Exactly. I'm not for this.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple crush ad

Apple Apologizes for 'Crush' iPad Pro Ad, Won't Put It on TV

Friday May 10, 2024 8:32 am PDT by
When introducing the new M4 iPad Pro models, Apple showed a video of a hydraulic press crushing all manner of creative tools, including musical instruments, electronic equipment, arcade games, paint and brushes, computers, cameras, and more, with the aim of demonstrating how the iPad represents all of the tools condensed into a single device. The ad was a play on the popular hydraulic press...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Thursday May 9, 2024 9:00 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models concurrently, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
ChatGPT for Mac

OpenAI Announces ChatGPT App for Mac, GPT-4 for Free, and More

Monday May 13, 2024 10:43 am PDT by
At its Spring Update event, OpenAI announced that it will be releasing a desktop app for the Mac, as seen in the screenshot below. The app will be rolling out to ChatGPT Plus subscribers starting today, ahead of a wider launch "in the coming weeks." "With a simple keyboard shortcut (Option + Space), you can instantly ask ChatGPT a question," OpenAI's press release says. In addition, Voice...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.5 With Cross-Platform Tracking Detection, EU App Downloads From Websites and More

Monday May 13, 2024 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5, major updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating system updates that came out last September. The 17.5 updates come more than two months after the launch of iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4. iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. In the European Union, ...
apple tv 4k red image

Apple Releases tvOS 17.5

Monday May 13, 2024 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 17.5, the fifth update update to the tvOS 17 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 17.5 comes two months after the release of tvOS 17.4. tvOS 17.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have automatic software updates activated will be upgraded to ...