Gurman: Apple Stores Receiving 'Merchandise' Updates Next Week

Apple's retail stores will be rolling out "merchandise/floor marketing updates" next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

iPhone 16 Apple Store Levels
Gurman did not explicitly say if the store updates are related to any upcoming product announcements, but he did mention that next week is around the time that Apple rolls out its annual Black Unity watch band for the Apple Watch.

In each of the past four years, Apple has announced a Black Unity campaign in the second half of January, and this has typically included a new Apple Watch band, Apple Watch face, and iPhone wallpaper featuring the colors of the Pan-African flag. We recently discovered that the upcoming tvOS 18.3 update for the Apple TV has a new UNITY25 reference hidden within its code, which suggests that the Black Unity campaign may continue in 2025. If so, it is likely that Apple will make an announcement about it next week.

Apple Watch Black Unity Band 2024
It is unclear if there will be any other product announcements next week beyond a new Black Unity band. Apple is expected to announce updated MacBook Air models with the M4 chip in early 2025, and Powerbeats Pro 2 are also coming soon, but Gurman did not mention anything beyond a potential Black Unity band in his social media post today.

Apple is expected to release iOS 18.3, macOS 15.3, and other software updates next week, following more than a month of beta testing.

Cross your fingers that the merchandise updates means that Apple will have a busy week ahead, but keep your expectations tempered.

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Top Rated Comments

JPack Avatar
3 weeks ago
Title had me going. Thought it was something legit.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
delsoul Avatar
3 weeks ago
I’m shocked Apple
Doesn’t celebrate lunar new years products in the US considering how many celebrate it. If you’re not going to celebrate everyone, don’t celebrate any months or events at all.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rradcircless Avatar
3 weeks ago

I’m shocked Apple
Doesn’t celebrate lunar new years products in the US considering how many celebrate it. If you’re not going to celebrate everyone, don’t celebrate any months or events at all.
They sell Chinese new year AirTags and AirPods every year ? check your facts
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
3 weeks ago

Title had me going. Thought it was something legit.
I was hoping for some Tim Cook action figures.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
3 weeks ago

but keep your expectations tempered.
Good one!
My expectations are non-existent ;)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smulji Avatar
3 weeks ago

Mmmh… maybe technically not, but I don’t remember any launch in the January timeframe in the past.
January 17, 2023 is when Apple launched M2 series MBP & Mac mini

https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/new-macbook-pro-laptops-and-mac-mini-add-apples-m2-chips/
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)