All articles tagged with #apple store
Apple's Victoria Gardens store in Rancho Cucamonga, CA reopened with three design upgrades: the Genius Bar returns (replacing a Video Wall), and dedicated Apple Pickup and Today at Apple bays have been added, now integrated into a side shelving area called the Avenue, with plans to roll out the changes to other stores.
Bloomberg reports Apple plans to restore dedicated Genius Bars in Apple Stores, reverting from the 2016 Genius Grove setup and returning to a traditional, wood‑toned in‑store tech support layout. The shift is part of a broader retail revamp under new CEO John Ternus, with video walls replaced by the renewed bar concept and store redesigns that may also introduce revamped home‑assistant devices.
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max pre-orders opened recently, but US delivery estimates now push most models to October: Pro Max shipping Oct 6–13 and Pro shipping Sep 29–Oct 6. The earliest orders may arrive as soon as Sep 18 when Apple Stores stock goes out, signaling strong demand and longer wait times.
Apple’s online store is temporarily offline with a “We’ll be right back” message, triggering speculation about the upcoming Back to School promotion, possible price increases, or new devices. Downtime is commonly used to refresh pricing and product pages ahead of promotions or launches; Tim Cook has warned price rises are likely due to higher memory and storage costs, and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the timing could be imminent, possibly tying promotions to any hikes.
Apple will permanently close three U.S. retail stores—Trumbull, CT; North County, Escondido, CA; and Towson Town Center in Towson, MD—by the evening of June 20, citing declining conditions at the malls. Towson is notable as Apple’s first U.S. store to unionize (IAM CORE) in 2022; under the contract, affected employees receive severance unless a new store opens within 50 miles within 18 months, with right of first refusal if that occurs. Apple says it is honoring the agreement, while IAM CORE accuses Apple of union busting.
Apple will permanently close three U.S. stores—Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, CT; Apple North County in Escondido, CA; and Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, MD—in June. Trumbull and North County employees will transfer to nearby Apple Stores, while Towson staff can apply for open roles under their union agreement with IAM CORE. The closures come amid declining mall conditions and retailer exits, but Apple says it has opened 11 new stores since 2025 and that the move does not reflect overall performance.
Apple is kicking off its 50th-anniversary celebrations with events around the world, including what appears to be a plaza performance at Chengdu’s Taikoo Li store amid a temporary closure, and a sold-out Today at Apple session featuring the K-pop group CORTIS at Seoul’s Myeongdong store, as part of March festivities ahead of its April 1, 2026 milestone, with photos promised on Apple Newsroom.
Apple is staging secret activity at its Grand Central Terminal store in NYC, featuring temporary walls, lighting, and a growing queue suggesting an in-person experience tied to its upcoming 50th anniversary, with a related Fifth Avenue closure for maintenance and invites signaling a special event.
Bloomberg notes Apple is preparing budget versions of the iPhone 17 and a low-cost MacBook (plus other affordable devices) for a busy launch week, prompting warnings to retail staff about longer hours as bargain-hungry customers flood stores.
Apple replaced its SEED app with a new internal Sales Coach for Apple Store and AASP employees, featuring the updated Liquid Glass design and an upcoming AI chatbot accessed via an 'Ask' tab. The app is available to employees (and via salescoach.apple.com) but is not publicly available.
Apple is expected to update its retail stores on November 12th, possibly with visual holiday-themed changes, but new Apple TV and HomePod mini models are unlikely to launch before the year's end due to inventory shortages and the company's focus on other products. Any refresh of these devices might be announced soon, but a release before 2024 remains uncertain.
Early users and tech enthusiasts are already testing the durability of the new iPhone 17 series, with reports of scratches on the aluminum body and videos of phones being deliberately broken or stress-tested, highlighting concerns about the device's build quality and durability.
Apple has launched its latest products, including the iPhone 17 series, new Apple Watch models, and third-generation AirPods Pro, available at Apple Store locations worldwide, with customers excited to explore and purchase the new devices.
The Apple Store is currently down in anticipation of the iPhone 17 pre-orders, indicating the launch of new iPhones is imminent.
Apple's refurbished store now offers the 46mm Apple Watch Series 10 at a discounted price of $359, down from $429, providing a certified, warranty-backed option for buyers, although similar new models are available at the same price on Amazon.