Right? They update their signage for everything anyway, even if there won’t be stock in the stores.
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Apple Retail Stores Updating Overnight After 'Wonderlust' Event in Preparation for iPhone 15 Launch
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Theft of demo units is already a big enough issue post-release, and it isn’t “Apple” to put out dummy units.
But you’ll make the “laborious trip all the way to the Apple Store” if they had demo/dummy units? 🙄
Like i said, theft is already a huge issue and dummy units are not very “Apple”. All that would happen is that people would other crowd and hog the demo units or they’d all be stolen in less than a day.
And if there were working units for perusal, folks would be wondering how is it they have thousands available to go in stores around the world BUT NOTHING FOR ME TO BUY!? They already say that after the preorder, they’d just be saying it earlier
Last year on the first day that the iPhone 14 Pro was available I decided to just go to the t-mobile store in the local mall. I asked if they had a 512 GB unit in space black. They had 19 available in a variety of colors. I walked out with a the space black iPhone 14 Pro. I would venture a guess something similar will happen this year. I do know I am not going to go 55 miles to the nearest Apple Store to me when a corporate T-mobile store is 16 miles away
Sadly they would get stolen and scalped into oblivion if they were put out before retail release.
Right. Becasue getting arrest is a good way to be first to buy a new iPhone.
Retail units do not get auto updated; if you noticed when you buy one they are powered off and require several steps to connect to wifi and check for the latest software. I and friends have bought new ones and during setup had to install an iOS update. That’s much more efficient than trying to ensure devices can connect to a wifi network, stay connected, update and shutdown without any problems; Apple no doubt would not want a phone to be bricked or show an error right out of the box.
Nah, if you go back through some of the theft stories you’ll see the demo units stop working if stolen.
I agree that it would be nice to test things out before buying. Having said that, there is something exciting about opening the iPhone box for the very first time without having seen it before in person.
They come with software released only 2-3 weeks prior to launch, and compiled shortly before the golden master. The phones are produced months before launch. Either they aren’t put into boxes until a brief period before they come out, or they are “updated” a single time within their boxes.
Here is a MR article confirming the 14 came with a near-final version of iOS 16. The compile date would have been sometime in early September, far after the majority of the iPhones would have already been produced and shipped. If they had come with whatever software was current when they were manufactured, some would have one of the early developer betas.
I used to work there for several years/iPhone launches, and that’s who I use too, but I just buy through Apple now. The biggest issues I had with them is that you can’t pre-order for in-store pickup, and their launch day inventory is very hit or miss depending on which store you go to. Some may not get all colors or only 1-2 of the Pro Max (or none), and in store usually doesn’t get the high-end storage options. Plus, if you are doing it as an upgrade and don’t have their insurance plan, you have to pay to upgrade.
I haven’t camped out for an iPhone since gold 5S. The Falls Apple Store (Miami).
this would be great. last year I ordered the silver to be safe... but had I seen the purple in person beforehand I definitely would have gotten that one... It's such a beautiful deep purple color, but that didn't come across in pictures or on video.... At least not for me.
Just from a spectator standpoint, it would be really cool if it was immediately available or available the next day.
My point was once boxed they are no longer updated for subsequent releases, not that they don’t get the last version prior to boxing.
It makes sense not to box them until right before you start shipping them so as to endure they are charged and have any last minute software updates.
I’m not saying Apple couldn’t have a way to do an in the box update; i just think it is highly unlikely because:
- It would require some sort of way to sense the wake up signal, which would mean a battery draining in box
- You’d have to program in a network or bluetooth connection to make sure it auto connects, which is a security risk since once it got out now you can spoof the network and know iPhones will connect
- It would be a security issue because now there would be a way to tell the iPhone, without user intervention, to wake up and instal this update
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I actually miss queuing! I done this every year from iPhone 4 - X
Always met the same people in line every year. Became a tradition and healthy competition on who made it to the front of the line each year. Was a nice little community, talking to people who share similar passion for tech. The 24hr McDonald's helped us get through the nights haha.
Aww it just seems like yesterday we were all getting happy and fuzzy over the IPhone 14 launch
