Apple retail stores have received mysterious boxes marked ‘Do Not Open Until October 8’, fuelling expectations of a product launch next week.

MacRumors reported the shipments earlier this week and said it had independently verified them. The boxes are believed to contain visual merchandising materials, such as updated graphics and store layouts, rather than the products themselves.

The timing points to October 13. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that Apple will begin a major smart-home push on that date, led by the long-awaited HomePad hub.

The launch is also expected to bring the first HomePod mini update since 2020 and the first new Apple TV set-top box since 2022. The devices are expected to be built around a next-generation Siri.

Stores need time to install the new displays, which is why the boxes carry the October 8 date even though the announcement may come days later.

Separately, Apple’s website lists the iPhone Duo foldable phone with preorders starting October 16. The iPhone 18 is already on sale.