Apple Stores will soon start updating iPhones while still in the sealed retail box
Malcolm OweniPhone 15 Pro on a Box
Updating the software on a just-bought iPhone could become a thing of the past, with a new system rolling out to Apple Stores in April that will update the software on devices still in the packaging.
When buying new products with computing capabilities, one of the first things to happen after opening the box and turning it on is to check for software updates. It now appears that Apple is preparing to introduce new hardware in its retail outlets to help prevent users from having to deal with the task.
The system, initially leaked in October, is said in Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg on Sunday to be called "Presto." Taking the form of a small metal cubby, the idea of the device is to be able to provide power to an iPhone and trigger an iOS software update, without removing any of the packaging surrounding the iPhone at all.
The system has been in place outside of retail for some time. It uses MagSafe for power and other wireless technologies to manage the update process itself.
After the update has been downloaded and installed to the iPhone, it automatically powers back down.
All of this happens from the inventory room of the Apple Store, out of view of customers. Once updated, the iPhone can be stored until a customer buys it or another software update is required.
After a period of testing, Gurman now says Apple is preparing for a rollout to all stores in the United States, starting in April. All Apple Store locations in the United States are expected to have the device in use by the early summer.
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