Staff lottery reveals Apple's first-half September event plans

Apple is opening a lottery for U.S. retail employees to staff its next major product event, bringing store workers into preparations for the company's biggest launch of the year.An internal memo viewed by Bloomberg invited U.S. retail employees to enter a lottery to help staff the in-person event. Selected workers will greet and check in guests, organize lines, provide directions and support security teams.Applications close August 8, and Apple will notify selected employees by August 17. Workers who participated in WWDC 2026 or the 2025 iPhone launch aren't eligible.iPhone 18 concept imageRetail employees have supported major Apple Events for years, so the staffing program itself isn't new. The memo is notable because Apple gave workers a launch window before publicly announcing the event. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums