Apple Store Turning Ten: iPhone 5 Rumors Surround Anniversary

Thursday, May 19 will mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of the first Apple Store, and it seems like the date won't pass unnoticed.

Apple, known for its secrecy and spectacular product launches, is likely doing everything it can to remain tight-lipped about any potential announcements. However, new rumors, published by Boy Genius Report, hint that something major may be happening.

The rumor lowdown, from BGR:

• There's an overnight shift of 10-15 people planned from Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.
• All employees must lock their cell phones in the office and sign a non-disclosure agreement with Apple.
• A variety of roles are necessary, from business representatives to a visuals team to Genius team members.
• The hardware to be installed in apparently already there, just under lock and key.
• Black curtains will go up at all stores.
• Secret data labeled "training" has been distributed to employees and can't be accessed until Saturday afternoon.
• Mandatory meetings are scheduled for Sunday May 22.

Interestingly, a separate source seems to have leaked similar information about Sunday's mandatory meeting to macstories.

While a different BGR report stated that the stores were getting new tables, potentially equipped with near field communication (NFC) capabilities, a Gizmodo tipster claimed the new tables are "already in use at a couple high traffic Apple Stores."

These rumors have lead to speculation that the world's most valuable brand may be aiming to launch the next iPhone (unofficially dubbed "iPhone 4S" by some, "iPhone 5" by others) as a tenth anniversary celebration. While CNET, BGR, Gizmodo and a number of other sites have weighed in on the speculation, nothing has been confirmed by Apple.

Comments

[Max Shaw]

03:47 PM on 05/19/2011

YAWN..more hype and senselss spending please.

[runtwelds]

10:48 AM on 05/18/2011

whatever happened to that Microsoft store? you know, the one that was a complete rip off of the Apple stores.

[Mitchman57]

07:42 AM on 05/18/2011

I'm gonna wet my pants. - Laughing. You give money to Apple, they give the money to China.

I've got an idea.... How about keeping your current phone and use that money instead to hire a landscaper for half a day, go out to dinner a few times, have your car washed at every local high school car wash for the next year, get a few rooms painted.

Hire an AMERICAN.

ANYTHING but shoveling that money through Apple's coffers to China.

[Percy Morales]

09:05 AM on 05/18/2011

What computer are you using? What cell phone do you use? I don't want to get all educational on you, but NAFTA has done wonders for America. Sure some people have lost factory jobs, but the number of specialized jobs has increased. See factory jobs are unspecialized jobs. They don't require a whole of education. Sure some one might be good at making brooms, but that skill isn't going to get any far outside the broom industry. With NAFTA and WTO, we took all those un-specialized jobs and gave them to people who will work for cheaper and the product becomes cheaper. Apple is the ideal American company in that it has designers and the big picture people with a wealth of knowledge that are laying out what products to make. Again, we might have less factory jobs now, but we have more specialized jobs in fields like computer engineering and programming. Which would you prefer? The one who oversees the machines that makes the products or the one who designs and makes the machines?

[oldsquare]

09:59 AM on 05/18/2011

Okay so long as it doesn't become an across-the-board situation as the US has and always will have a lot of unspecialized citizens who need to be considered. Plus the specialized still need the support of the unspecialized. To prosper as a nation we need opportunities for all citizens who are able to participate, and support in one form or another for those who aren't.

[Mitchman57]

10:17 AM on 05/18/2011

Buy yet another phone destined for the junk drawer before it's dead, but....

When we shoveled dirt into one end of a factory and drove a car out the other, we prospered because we used the difference between the value of the dirt and the value of the car to EMPLOY PEOPLE. With the taxes collected, we won wars. We re-built Europe TWICE!. We built our highways and tunnels and secured our senior's retirements.

Look around. Until we stop importing and start exporting, we're just mowing each others' lawns and sell each other insurance. There is no wealth created in selling an insurance policy or simply designing a new Chinese-made camera.

Get a clue. Unless we make stuff and sell it to someone in Sweden, we've only got our own money to play with, and it's running out. We're becoming a third-world nation.

NAFTA is a bad joke designed to build an import trade where we consume, but don't produce and it won't end til our credit cards are maxed and our homes are mortgaged to the hilt.... Oh yea, that's already happened. Maybe it's time to end the 30 year experiment.

[Pectin]

10:04 AM on 05/18/2011

Okay, link us up with some consumer electronics made in the USA, and I'll buy some.

[DracoGem]

03:21 AM on 05/18/2011

Since my iPhone 4 was stolen and I'm waiting for the right time to purchase a new one, I'm hoping that it's the new iPhone 5 to be on sale. GONNA PREORDER!

[Phlan]

01:55 AM on 05/18/2011

The first 10 customers will receive a free Iphone5. Pretty obvious.

[LightShadow62]

01:44 AM on 05/18/2011

You can bet that whatever the plan is for the 10th anniversary it will involve people giving Apple money.

[Pectin]

09:36 AM on 05/18/2011

You mean Apple's in business to make money?
How unusual.

[Highball]

01:12 AM on 05/18/2011

There seems to be some buzz, but I am still questioning.

It would be nice, though.

[leorangerie]

12:15 AM on 05/18/2011

Yes, everything in their stores is free for one day!

iJoke.

[jflorish]

11:42 PM on 05/17/2011

If product related I'm guessing new Mac.

[DRaymond]

11:41 PM on 05/17/2011

There are rumors and then there is wishful thinking.  This is wishful thinking.  Sure the stores are going to have 10th anniversary events, but it will NOT be a product release.  Apple does plenty of business through places like Best Buy, etc.  and those independent retail outlets will NOT accept being left out of a major product announcement.  If Apple were to cut the resellers out of a product launch you could expect breach of contract and unfair business practices suits the next day.

[ResearchtheFacts]

11:15 PM on 05/17/2011

They should have waited to the hooker app launch so those attending could by dates.

[ResearchtheFacts]

11:15 PM on 05/17/2011

edit: buy dates..

[planetjeffy]

01:44 AM on 05/18/2011

iWhores...

[rigmoten]

10:54 PM on 05/17/2011

Posters who have too much emotional investments in others' purchases in 3... 2... 1...

[lilylee86]

10:50 PM on 05/17/2011

"iPhone 5", that is quite good..hehe..
joy fax server

[Rickter]

09:57 PM on 05/17/2011

Isn't the rapture, the end of the world this weekend too?

Hmmmm...

[Aimee Bellefleur Hogan]

11:22 PM on 05/17/2011

LOL! This Saturday, supposedly.

[leorangerie]

12:15 AM on 05/18/2011

wait, wait...I think you're on to something!

[fafafafools]

09:40 PM on 05/17/2011

I'm trying to figure out how introducing a new phone so soon after the iphone 4 came out is something apple owners would be excited about, enough to shroud in secrecy. Yeah, Im going to be real excited to know my phone which is just a few months old is already outdated and I need to spend ANOTHER $400 to get a new one. If this is Apple's surprise for people who like their products, I would hate to see what they do for people who don't like them.

[Pectin]

10:15 PM on 05/17/2011

Apple releases a new model every year, as do many businesses, such as automobile companies.
And, like an automobile, the model you have doesn't quit working simply because there's a more current version for sale.
If you bought last year's model right before next year's model is to be released, the fault lies solely with you.

[rigmoten]

10:52 PM on 05/17/2011

Best response yet.