Apple Stores fill with customers trying out the iPhone 16

As the new hardware lineup becomes available in Apple Stores around the world, Apple has shared images of customers trying out the iPhone 16 and other products for the first time.

Following the "It's Glowtime" launch, Apple released its new products on Friday. The new items include updates to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, the Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and new colors of the AirPods Max and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Following the introduction at retail, Apple has started to share photographs of customers entering Apple Stores and seeing the new lineup.

A man in a pink shirt walks through a line of people giving high fives.

The first customer at the Myeongdong Apple Store in Seoul

The series of shots include a wave of customers filling up the Apple Jing'an store in Shanghai. Other customers are also welcomed into the Apple Myeongdong store in Seoul, before trying out the new products.

So far, Apple has released images from two locations in Asia, as they were among the earliest to open with the latest devices.

People photographing smartwatches displayed on stands in a store with trees in the background.

Apple Watches in an Apple Store.Apple Watches in an Apple Store.Apple Watches in an Apple Store.

As well as being able to pick up the iPhone 16 and new Apple Watch at stores, customers are also starting to receive their online orders as well. Other retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online, are also available.

5 Comments

felix01 297 comments · 17 Years

About 3 months ago

I wonder if anyone has been getting Apple stickers for the asking? My pick-up appointment is in the early evening, I'll ask for one or two since they are no longer being put in the boxes. Doesn't seem like it's a big deal until you realize Apple is putting 37 million phones into consumer's hands this weekend.

mikethemartian 1493 comments · 18 Years

Does Apple need to get special permission to take and post photos of customers? In case you are picking up an iPhone for your girlfriend…and you don’t want your wife to find out. :-)

Fred257 259 comments · 5 Years

This update is weird. Will wait for the 17 as AI seems to be risen with errors these days

mpantone 2254 comments · 18 Years

mikethemartian said:

Does Apple need to get special permission to take and post photos of customers? In case you are picking up an iPhone for your girlfriend…and you don’t want your wife to find out. :-)

Privacy laws vary by jurisdiction. In many places though, general photography in public that can considered to be newsworthy or amateur (i.e., not used for commercial purposes) does not need approval (e.g., tourists taking photos at landmarks or a journalist reporting on a crowd gathering).

Even in the USA, privacy laws vary by state -- California has regulations that are more strict than most other states.

It's important to note that laws will also differ on private property. The inside of an Apple Store is most definitely not a public space. Private venues can and often do create their own policies. I've seen stores post signs that company-sponsored promotional photography may be done on the premises; entering the venue is an implicit acceptance.

It's important to note that litigation of such matters is pretty difficult unless there is strong evidence of damage (usually monetary).

If you want to buy an iPhone for your mistress, get someone else to buy it for you. Or give her the money to buy it herself. :p

Fred257 said:

This update is weird. Will wait for the 17 as AI seems to be risen with errors these days.

As far as I can tell, the handset hardware and AI functionality aren't tied to the iPhone 16 architecture as the iPhone 15 Pro models also support Apple Intelligence. Same with M-series products (both Macs and iPads).

If you don't like the iPhone 16 itself, that's fine, but blaming it on the early (and still unreleased) version of Apple Intelligence (still very much in its infancy) is a hasty reaction.

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