On September 13, 2026, Mark Gurman, a reporter from Bloomberg, reported that Apple has implemented more stringent pre-opening morning meeting protocols for staff at its Apple Store retail outlets. Specifically, employees are now required to stand during the entire pre-opening briefing, refrain from consuming beverages or using electronic devices, and maintain a high level of concentration. Additionally, stores are mandated to open their doors five minutes prior to their official opening times, and all staff members must applaud as the first group of customers enters the store. In parallel, Apple is experimenting with an AI-generated note-taking feature for Genius Bar appointments, aiming to streamline manual record-keeping processes. The company is also trialing an AI assistant within the Apple Store app to address customer inquiries about products.
