Apple Store down ahead of WWDC keynote
Apple has taken down the Apple Store, as the company makes updates to its website ahead of the WWDC keynote.
A customary tradition of major Apple events, the online Apple Store is not accessible to the public as of Monday morning. In such cases, the store will remain offline until after the day's major event has concluded.
In a change to the norm, Apple hasn't put its usual logo animation in place of its store, and instead offers a WWDC graphic declaring there is "developing news." The image also tells visitors to check back "after the event," and to watch the keynote via the Apple website and the Apple TV app.
Normally, the taking-down of a store is in preparation for the introduction of new products. However, as it is WWDC and a developer and software-centric event, hardware introductions aren't common, but they do happen.
Current speculation involves Apple's Mac lineup and Apple Silicon, with the potential to introduce a new MacBook Air and possibly an updated Mac Pro.
There has also been claims Apple will be pressing on with its AR and VR project, though that may be more to provide developers with tools to create content rather than an actual mixed-reality headset launch.
Read on AppleInsider
A customary tradition of major Apple events, the online Apple Store is not accessible to the public as of Monday morning. In such cases, the store will remain offline until after the day's major event has concluded.
In a change to the norm, Apple hasn't put its usual logo animation in place of its store, and instead offers a WWDC graphic declaring there is "developing news." The image also tells visitors to check back "after the event," and to watch the keynote via the Apple website and the Apple TV app.
Normally, the taking-down of a store is in preparation for the introduction of new products. However, as it is WWDC and a developer and software-centric event, hardware introductions aren't common, but they do happen.
Current speculation involves Apple's Mac lineup and Apple Silicon, with the potential to introduce a new MacBook Air and possibly an updated Mac Pro.
There has also been claims Apple will be pressing on with its AR and VR project, though that may be more to provide developers with tools to create content rather than an actual mixed-reality headset launch.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Frankly it's pretty ridiculous to suggest that any website needs to be taken down for updates anyway, it's just a bit of theatre from Apple.
Pragmatically speaking, shutting down the storefronts allows everyone involved a little time to do one final check of their changes or just to reflect on the event before everything goes live. No doubt that everyone involved has been preparing for this day for several weeks, all of the changes are queued up, everything's been tested internally, and everyone has a very high level of confidence that once the switch is flipped, their piece of the puzzle is ready to do its thing.
The ceremonial aspect of the whole process helps everyone involved mentally prepare for and have a common set of expectations for the what will take place today and the next time they will all go through the same basic process/steps again, which will likely be in the early fall when the next iteration of iPhones are rolled out to the launch pad. Theatre is more performative, i.e., something done for the audience's (our) benefit. Ceremony has a mutual benefit for those involved in the process (Apple) and in some cases, like weddings, graduations, etc., those who are in the audience (the rest of us).
That's my take anyway, which is heavily influenced by having served several years in the US Navy, which is deeply entrenched in ceremony both for very pragmatic reasons as well as a way to help reinforce culture.
As you already noted in your first comment "it's just a bit of theatre from Apple" shows that you are well aware that Apple doesn't need to take their website down to update a few product pages.