Apple will ship iPhones and other devices from retail stores

External shot of a flagship Apple store

As Apple prepares to unleash a number of new devices, it’s figured out how to help its customers get those devices even quicker. Instead of shipping product orders from distribution centers, Bloomberg reports the tech giant will start shipping orders directly from its 271 Apple retail stores.

The new shipping scheme will apply only to customers who live within 100 miles of the store location, but these customers may see their new Apple devices the day after they place their orders.

Not only will this new shipping process speed up deliveries, but it’s also a way for Apple to keep its retail stores operating while some remain closed to the public amid the pandemic. Consumers won’t choose where their orders ship from - Apple will determine this.

This news comes just as the company prepares to host an Apple Event on Tuesday, October 13. We expect tomorrow’s event to include the announcement of the new 5G iPhone 12’s launch. It may also include several other products, over-the-ear headphones, a smaller HomePod, and a new Mac lineup using Apple-designed processors.

Apple recently released its Apple Watch Series 6, the eighth-generation iPad and the iPad Air 2020 during the September Apple Event. The new iPhone launch, typically a September event, was delayed until October this year due to pandemic-related manufacturing delays.

With the holiday season upon us, the move to ship from retail stores will help customers receive their new Apple products on time, even as shipping companies get bogged down with holiday deliveries.