A few years back, a report indicated that Apple was working on a groundbreaking technology that would allow it to update iPhones in sealed boxes prior to their sale. Then, last year, the company introduced that feature at US Apple Store locations.
As reported by Bloomberg, here’s how it functions: “The system resembles a metal cubby for shoes. It utilizes MagSafe and other wireless technologies to activate the iPhone without ever opening the packaging. It downloads and installs the latest software, and then switches the phone back off.”
Currently, 9to5Mac claims that Apple aims to implement this technology for Macs as well. The publication states that macOS Tahoe beta 3 sets the stage for this sealed-device update system on the macOS platform.
However, it should be noted that Apple presently employs NFC technology to update iPhones in their packaging. Macs do not possess NFC, but Apple might potentially introduce the technology in future Mac models or utilize a different method altogether for updating sealed Mac computers.
Here’s why being able to update Macs inside their packaging is such a significant advantage
With the launch of the iPhone 15, Apple faced a challenge with iOS 17.0 that necessitated iPhone users to upgrade to version 17.0.1 due to activation problems and data transfer errors during setup. Since Apple strives for a seamless and quick experience, forcing users to update their devices immediately, especially due to a bug, poses a considerable issue.
That being said, it remains uncertain when the capability to update Macs within their boxes will become available. Most likely, we could expect official announcements regarding this around the launch of the M6 MacBook models next year. Introducing this feature for the Mac would be a substantial advantage, but since Apple sells significantly more iPhones than Macs, the urgency for the Mac version won’t be as pressing.
