Apple to Hold First Company-Wide Retail Meetings Since 2019 This Weekend

Apple will hold rare company-wide retail meetings this weekend, the first in three years since the start of the global health crisis, according to sources familiar with the matter. The timing of the meetings comes just less than two weeks away from when Apple will hold its “Far Out” event for the iPhone 14 and new Apple Watches.

The meetings, planned to take place in Apple Stores across the United States and Europe, are the first of their kind since 2019 amid the global health crisis. Apple had originally planned for company-wide meetings, which typically happen once or twice a year ahead of a busy launch season, for the Spring of 2020 but canceled amid store closures and lockdowns. In years past, Apple has unveiled company-wide retail strategies and “pep talk” styled team discussions meant to prepare employees to launch new products.

This year’s meetings, however, come amid widespread tension within Apple over unionization, a factor not present in years past. Apple has been ramping-up its union-related talking points in the last several weeks, MacRumors has reported. Last week, Apple Store leaders across the United States communicated what employees perceived as “anti-union rhetoric” in a coordinated attempt to ease staff concerns.

Apple is preparing to launch several new products in the coming weeks, including the ‌iPhone 14‌ and iPhone 14 Pro. ‌Apple Store‌ employees in several locations across the United States have been tasked with preparing for new merchandise material in the coming weeks, typical before a major new product launch. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that the new iPhones will go on sale on Friday, September 16, with pre-orders opening a week before on Friday, September 9.