The concept was simple: if people are going to be upgrading their device every so often with fixed monthly payments, why not make the switch as easy as possible? Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports the following:
I’ve now learned there was more discussed when this idea was conceived years ago. Apple had contemplated a so-called white-glove component, where your new device each year would arrive at home ready to go, preloaded with all of your data via your iCloud backup. Apple Upgrade doesn’t offer this feature.
There’s obviously a few flaws here. For one, your iCloud backup would be slightly outdated, as the data transfer only could’ve happened at the time it was shipped out. It’d be a few days behind – unless you did an in store pickup.
Beyond that, there’s the clear privacy concern. If you’re backing up to iCloud, the idea of Apple having your data shouldn’t be shocking. To the public though, there may be concerns of how the data was transferred to the new phone, and people may wonder if anyone snooped in the process.
Two years ago, Apple debuted a new ‘Presto’ system at its stores that allowed employees to update iPhones while they were sitting in the box. One could imagine this system could’ve been expanded to support iCloud backup transfer without any human needing to look at your data in the process.
Nonetheless, this feature didn’t end up shipping – and that’s probably for the better.
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Michael is 9to5Mac’s Weekend Editor, keeping up with all of the latest Apple news on Saturday and Sunday. He got started in the world of Apple news during the pandemic, and it became a growing hobby. He’s also an indie iOS developer in his free time, and has published numerous apps over the years.
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Despite a new version reportedly being around a corner, I still personally believe AirPods Pro 2 are a great deal. They're already equipped with USB-C, and continually gain new software features. With them consistently going on sale, it's a great purchase to make. Features like Adaptive Audio are incredible.
