The method, outlined in a newsletter from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, a reliable source for Apple news, involves a "pad-like device" on to which store staff can place unopened iPhone boxes to trigger updates.
Gurman claimed that the pad wirelessly turns on the iPhone and runs the software update, before turning it off again.
The technology could solve a common issues faced by buyers of new electronics who often need software updates right out of the box. This can even be the case for recently launched products, such as the iPhone 15, which required an iOS 17.0.1 update before the hardware was even shipped.
Gurman’s report only refers to the technology being used for iPhones but it’s quite possible the technique could be used to update other Apple products in-store.
The system could land in the Apple Stores as early as the end of this year, Gurman claimed.