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Apple's Online Store Down for Scheduled 'Maintenance' Break, Possibly Ahead of Product Updates

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Apple's online store has been taken offline for a scheduled "maintenance" break between midnight and 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time. The extended downtime is fueling hopes that fresh hardware will be available when the store is brought back online, as has been the case many times in the past.

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Apple traditionally invites the media to Special Events to unveil new products, but it does not have one planned for today. Accordingly, any additions or changes to Apple's online store today are likely to be minor, and a press release would be an appropriate medium for sharing the announcements.

Lending credence to this theory is that 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time happens to be exactly when Apple typically distributes press releases.

Rumors suggest Apple is planning updated 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, a 128GB iPhone SE, a red color option for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and new Apple Watch bands, all of which could be minor enough to simply be added to Apple's online store and announced with press releases.

Less likely to be announced today is a rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro sporting a narrow bezel design, which seems too significant to be unveiled without an Apple event. If so, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro could be introduced at an upcoming Spring event, WWDC 2017, or possibly even later.

One rumor said Apple would host an event in March, but that appears increasingly unlikely at this point. Apple has yet to invite the media to said event, and there are only ten days remaining in the month. A subsequent report said Apple will host an event in April, coinciding with the opening of its new Apple Park campus.

Apple's online store has gone down roughly six hours before many of its recent Special Events, while today's maintenance break is scheduled to last five and a half hours. Apple said its online store will be "updated" during this time, suggesting that at least something new might be coming today.

So-called "maintenance" really could just be maintenance, but the classic "We've got something special in store for you" placeholder notice on the site suggests something more. We'll know for sure in just a matter of hours, so keep checking back.

Article Link: Apple's Online Store Down for Scheduled 'Maintenance' Break, Possibly Ahead of Product Updates
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/03/21/apple-online-store-down-maintenance/
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MacRumors said:



Apple's online store has been taken offline for a scheduled "maintenance" break between midnight and 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time. The extended downtime is fueling hopes that fresh hardware will be available when the store is brought back online, as has been the case many times in the past.

ipad-cover-red.jpg

Apple traditionally invites the media to Special Events to unveil new products, but it does not have one planned for today. Accordingly, any additions or changes to Apple's online store today are likely to be minor, and a press release would be an appropriate medium for sharing the announcements.

Lending credence to this theory is that 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time happens to be exactly when Apple typically distributes press releases.

Rumors suggest Apple is planning updated 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, a 128GB iPhone SE, a red color option for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and new Apple Watch bands, all of which could be minor enough to simply be added to Apple's online store and announced with press releases.

Less likely to be announced today is a rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro sporting slimmer bezels that allow for an edge-to-edge display, which seems too significant to be unveiled without an Apple event. If so, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro could be introduced at an upcoming Spring event, WWDC 2017, or possibly even later.

One rumor said Apple would host an event in March, but that appears increasingly unlikely at this point. Apple has yet to invite the media to said event, and there are only ten days remaining in the month. A subsequent report said Apple will host an event in April, coinciding with the opening of its new Apple Park campus.

Apple's online store has gone down roughly six hours before many of its recent Special Events, while today's maintenance break is scheduled to last five and a half hours. Apple said its online store will be "updated" during this time, suggesting that at least something new might be coming today.

Wishful thinkers shouldn't set their hopes too high just yet, however, as so-called "maintenance" really could just be maintenance. We'll know for sure in just a matter of hours, so keep checking back.

Article Link: Apple's Online Store Down for Scheduled 'Maintenance' Break, Possibly Ahead of Product Updates
Click to expand...

New iPads fingers crossed
 
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So, we're likely to see updates that justify the store going down for a few hours, but not enough to justify a keynote event. Based on past experiences, that means either chip updates in MacBooks (unlikely), storage increases in iDevices (a higher storage iPhone SE is rumoured) or small feature tweaks to iDevices to being them in line with each other (again, consistent with some iPad Pro rumours).

Unfortunately, it also can mean a few price rises across the store.
 
Hopefully we get some minor improvements to the Macbook. 2017 version can't be far off. Extra port & 720p webcam. No need for a big announcement for that.
 
BMcCoy said:
So, we're likely to see updates that justify the store going down for a few hours, but not enough to justify a keynote event. Based on past experiences, that means either chip updates in MacBooks (unlikely), storage increases in iDevices (a higher storage iPhone SE is rumoured) or small feature tweaks to iDevices to being them in line with each other (again, consistent with some iPad Pro rumours).

Unfortunately, it also can mean a few price rises across the store.
Click to expand...
Maybe some new iPods.
 
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Everyone is getting really hyped for this. I can almost 100% guarantee that it might just actually be site maintainance and nothing new is coming. Any new iOS devices always get keynotes, only Mac refreshes don't. Considering the Mac Pro is aging poorly, I'm assuming any updates to it will be held until WWDC, or never. The MBP just got upgraded. Most likely new CPUs in either MacBook, iMac, or Mac minis. Maybe higher capacities on some iOS devices, larger (cheaper) SSDs in the Macs, and SSDs standard across the board (or at least Fusion Drives).

That is, again, if this not what I think it is (just standard maintainance) and everyone is reading too far into it.
 
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The banner reads "we've got something special in store for you" if it was pure maintenance they'd have written something different.
I wouldn't expect a major product release without a keynote, maybe some improvement for the Macbook (more RAM option, faster CPU etc.), an update to the iPhone SE in terms of storage and maybe colours.
Since I'm going to buy an iPad next month I wouldn't say no to a revamped Air/Mini model
 
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I feel like a new colour iPhone is probably too significant for a quiet release, too. I imagine all we'll see is iPad spec bumps.
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boss.king said:
Please be price drops on MBPs.
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Not going to happen. Apple have just hiked their prices almost everywhere. I can't see them putting them down any time soon, the product hasn't been out long enough yet.
 
Mac Pro......price hike incoming !!

I'll take an update on anything to be honest, and recent updates have been marginal at best so an online release is what is needed with a PR statement
 
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recoil80 said:
The banner reads "we've got something special in store for you" if it was pure maintenance they'd have written something different.
Click to expand...

As someone who writes these things for a living (not for Apple, of course), they could mean a lot of things. It could be a store website overhaul for all we know. It's very ambiguous.
 
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If anything it will be 12" MacBook spec bumps, iPhone SE 128GB option and may be some new Apple Watch bands....or it could just be maintenance :D
 
boss.king said:
As someone who writes these things for a living (not for Apple, of course), they could mean a lot of things. It could be a store website overhaul for all we know. It's very ambiguous.
Click to expand...

Sure, but a simple maintenance at this time of year, when they usually release something, would be quite strange.
 
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boss.king said:
Please be price drops on MBPs.
Click to expand...
Lol. Now, you know that won't happen. Apple is going to milk that cow until it's dry. If anything, we may see the end of the MacBook Air and they make the 12-inch MacBook their entry level (with a price cut).
 
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