Apple Working on System to Update Software of Unopened iPhones [Report]

Apple is working on a new system that will be able to update the software of unopened iPhones, according to a new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Often when customers purchase a new iPhone, the device has been sitting in its box for quite some time, missing out on important software updates. For example, the iPhone 15 shipped with iOS 17, but iOS 17.0.1 was available by the time customers received their device. This is not ideal as some important bugs or security vulnerabilities may have been addressed in the more recent software update.

Gurman says Apple is working on a way to resolve this problem.


Apple is planning a new system for its retail stores that will update the software on iPhones prior to sale. The company has developed a proprietary pad-like device that the store can place boxes of iPhones on top of. That system can then wirelessly turn on the iPhone, update its software and then power it back down — all without the phone's packaging ever being opened.

It's possible that Apple could begin rolling out this new capability to retail stores by the end of the year.

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