Apple Stores receive secret ‘Do Not Open’ boxes ahead of October 13 product launch

Apple Stores around the world have reportedly started receiving confidential boxes marked with instructions not to open them until October 8, just days before Apple is expected to unveil its new smart home lineup.

According to MacRumors, the boxes arrived at Apple retail stores earlier this week carrying “Do Not Open Until October 8” stickers. The publication says it received a tip about the shipments and independently verified their existence.

The boxes are believed to contain visual merchandising materials rather than the unannounced products themselves, allowing retail employees to prepare updated graphics, labels, and store layouts ahead of Apple’s next hardware announcements.

The October 8 instruction is particularly interesting because it falls five days before Apple’s reported October 13 smart home launch.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported this week that Apple plans to begin a major push into the smart home on October 13, led by its long-awaited smart home hub, commonly referred to as HomePad.

The company is also reportedly preparing to introduce the first major HomePod mini update since 2020 and its first new Apple TV set-top box since 2022 on the same date.

The Apple Post reported yesterday that HomePad is expected to headline the October 13 announcements, giving Apple an entirely new product category built around the home and its next generation of Siri.

MacRumors says Apple Stores are preparing to begin installing the new product presentations from October 8.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Apple will announce its new hardware on October 8. Retail merchandising can be prepared in advance of an announcement, particularly when stores need to coordinate changes across multiple locations.

It does, however, provide another indication that something significant is happening in Apple’s retail operation ahead of the reported October 13 launch.

The shipments also arrive while one major question remains unanswered: whether Apple will introduce its new Home products through another streamed presentation or through Apple Newsroom announcements and accompanying product videos.

Apple has yet to announce an October 13 event, despite the date now being linked to HomePad, HomePod mini 2, and a new Apple TV 4K.

Apple has used confidential retail shipments ahead of major product changes before, keeping new merchandising and other materials sealed until stores are authorized to begin preparing for an announcement or launch.

The company hasn’t confirmed what is inside the latest boxes, and there is no indication from the report that Apple Store employees have been given access to the contents ahead of October 8.

With October 8 now emerging as the date Apple Stores can reportedly open the confidential shipments, the days immediately following could provide further clues about how Apple intends to introduce its new smart home lineup.

For now, October 13 remains the reported date for Apple’s next hardware announcements, with HomePad, HomePod mini 2, and a new Apple TV 4K expected to lead the company’s biggest smart home push to date.