Apple this week opened its newest Apple Store in New York City, Apple The Mall at Bay Plaza, which also happens to be the first Apple retail location in the Bronx.
Apple Store aficionado Michael Steeberteamed up with Storeteller for a virtual 360-degree walkthrough of the new location, giving us an in-depth look at the features and improvements that Apple has brought to its latest Apple Store.
Apple The Mall at Bay Plaza may look similar to most other Apple retail locations, but it has a unique feature - a dedicated Pickup Zone. The Pickup Zone is a permanent installation within the store, featuring a dedicated table where customers can get their new devices from employees and more interestingly, a wall of built-in drawers where all the pickup orders are housed.
In most Apple retail locations, employees must go to the back to retrieve orders that have been placed for in-store pickup, but that won't be the case with Apple The Mall at Bay Plaza, and it is the first store with this setup rather than a Forum area.
Along with the Pickup Zone, the store also features an area with round tables for training, and a series of Forum displays. There are leather seats along the walls for those waiting for Genius Bar appointments, and the front of the store is outfitted with sliding glass doors.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
I used to love Apple stores 10+ years ago. I find them busy and stressful now. The whole Genius Bar experience used to be fun. Now it feels like waiting at the dentist. A dentist where you can't find the receptionist. The only time I ever go "into" one is if I'm early for a train at Grand Central station. That one feels kind of like it's outside. If there's a product I've not seen in person, I'll have a very quick look there then rush out.
"Picking up your order from our patented built-in, instant-on, soft-close drawers makes buying the latest Apple device even more rewarding. They're the best drawers Apple has ever made - we think you're gonna love them."
"Picking up your order from our patented built-in, instant-on, soft-close drawers makes buying the latest Apple device even more rewarding. They're the best drawers Apple has ever made - we think you're gonna love them."
See, I thought “dedicated pickup zone” is a place to meet ladies.
If there are some ladies there you could try a few of your best pickup lines on them. Who knows, you may get lucky. Worst that could happen is you get hauled off for sexual harassment.
