“Apple is putting a legion of carpenters, electricians, security personnel and other contractors to work this Labor Day weekend as it readies San Francisco’s Bill Graham Auditorium for what is expected to be a massive iPhone event next week,” Mikey Campbell reports for AppleInsider.
“Apple is indeed installing huge 15-foot Apple logos in the auditorium’s ornate window arches, as seen in photos provided by AppleInsider reader Sean,” Campbell reports. “According to planning documents unearthed last week, the fiberboard decorations, which were described as malformed stars instead of Apple’s instantly recognizable logo, are supported by temporary truss frame substructures.”
“Not clearly seen in the photos is the army of security guards crawling over the entire area,” Campbell reports. “Venue security — and the secrecy it provides — has long been a hallmark of Apple events, but the number of personnel patrolling outside the 7,000-seat auditorium seems unusual.”
More info and photos in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Get ready for an extra special Apple special event this week!
SEE ALSO:
It’s official: Apple sends out September 9th special event invitations – August 27, 2015
Didn’t some security guard say they were taking a lot of stuff out and bringing a lot of stuff in? Sounds like the living room theory is correct. The question is, will it be a “set” for the presentation, like more of a documentary as the camera follows the presenters from “room” to “room”, or will the living rooms be a showroom for invited guests.
Also didn’t someone say the floor there is very angled? Wonder how they’re dealing with that.
Or is it for the car debut instead.
That might have been me you’re quoting. The floor isn’t angled. The upper levels are extremely angled. It goes stage, floor, angled levels.
My point was that if you’re using the floor for living room demos for HomeKit, that the audience would need to be seated very far from the stage (in the upper levels). You couldn’t use the upper level seating areas for demos (besides needing to unbolt the seats, the angle would prohibit it.
The venue does (like every other venue Apple uses or could have used) have ample lobby space. So they will probably use the floor for seating, and have demo areas in the lobbies.
However, that’s more likely to be more standard 1st party product demos. If an Apple TV is revealed, then there would likely be TV kiosks set up in the lobbies (along with other areas for iPhones, and whatever else Apple wants the press to be able to get there hands on.
However, full home set demo areas for HomeKit to be used for the keynote, or for walk through by the press on the floor… I’m highly doubtful about due to layout (as well as timing for HomeKit available products to demo).
Likewise, I’m highly skeptical of a car being shown, both due to timing and to the venue as well as no leaks about the auto-industry press being invited.
Whatever happens, the set up for this is really odd. A place with such high seating capacity, and a layout that really doesn’t make sense for using it for much of anything else as compared to other venues that were available.
This is why I’m thinking it’s just Apple inviting their employees to the event and it’s going to be pretty standard… or they’re simply not using the upper levels (except maybe the lobbies for hands on demos).
Yep I was thinking of your comment. Thanks for sharing it, as it’s very helpful to those of us not familiar with the venue.
So the question is: why suddenly invite thousands of Apple employees to the event?
A) Because why not? From now on they use huge venues to allow their employees to enjoy the event from balconies.
B) Because something huge they’ve been working on for a long time is being shown to the world.
C) Because something huge they know nothing about is being announced and it makes sense for them to be in attendance to hear it live.
D) Because they’re props somehow.
E) Because they’ll be needed in the hours following the event to staff stuff, teach stuff, demonstrate stuff, and so they need seats to enable them to be there.
F) ???
Thanks, and yep, it could be any of those reasons.
F) Unlikely, but possible: a classic case of Apple’s misdirection – the size of the venue having nothing to do with what is being announced. Apple is cleverly drawing attention to itself.
If you’re watching the keynote now… What they did was construct a stage on the auditorium floor much closer to the seats. In other words, there are no floor seats, and the backstage area is enormous since it includes the normal backstage that a concert would have, plus the extra floor space.
They just announced a bunch of their employees are in attendance.
I think I was right.
Stories about Apple decorating a venue site. Big wow! Really? Are we this bored?
Dear Howie, As there was some question as to whether the large venue was in fact for Apple this is in fact news. Also the images are often sought for hints as to the purpose and theme of the event which will have a significant impact on Apple stock and the tech landscape of yeah the world. Also this is an Apple news site. Also stfu. All the Best, NB
If it were Samsung, yea, I’d agree.
If you understand the profound symbolism of Apple holding an event like this one in an auditorium named after one of the greatest evangelists who has lived in the last 50 years, then such news becomes far more relevant then you might think, here’s why.
As an evangelist, Billy Graham held hundreds of crusades to proclaim the gospel of Jesus-Christ to countless millions of people.
As a result, millions upon millions of individuals have accepted Jesus-Christ as their personal Savior and have received Salvation in accordance with the promises made by God as recorded in God’s word, the Holy Bible.
That being said, it is a well known fact that Apple strongly supports gay rights and openly claims that a gay lifestyle is a healthy and normal behavior including gay marriage.
In general, many Christians (fundamentalists or not) believe individuals who adopt a gay lifestyle are in direct contradiction with God’s Word which states (paraphrasing only) “men are not to sleep with other men like one sleeps with a women” and further states that such behavior is “an abomination to God”.
In other words, a gay lifestyle is a direct affront to God.
Christians overwhelmingly support human rights for all individuals including gays who, just as everyone else, ought to be treated with respect and dignity.
Having said that, you will easily understand why such matters become extremely sensitive when you push the envelope as the Supreme Court of the Unites States of America has just recently done by ruling that gay marriages are now legal in all States!
Apple is well aware of all the controversy already caused by the Supreme Court ruling.
Furthermore, Franklin Graham, who happens to be Billy Graham’s son, has “led the charge” on behalf of the entire Christian community by tirelessly speaking out and chastising the Supreme Court for their ruling.
Franklin Graham views the ruling as a “failure of the Supreme Court to uphold the moral integrity of society”.
By now, you probably understand why this news is extremely relevant and may be of great significance in determining how the future plays out for Apple in the near future.
How so? For tens of millions of Christians, Apple has become a household name.
The Christian Community may easily view Apple’s decision to hold the event at the Billy Graham Auditorium as an affront and an attempt to subdue their Christian faith and beliefs to the gay community.
Even worse, they may view Apple’s decision as a proclamation of victory by the gay community against the Christian faith.
They may even as to view it as a vindictive order by the gay community to capitulate and surrender their Christian faith.
In any such case, an untold number of Christians would swiftly and promptly turn away from Apple’s familiar brand and immediately seek to adopt an alternative regardless of the cost.
Needless to say that Apple is playing with fire!
A fire which may pretty well consume Apple entirely or which would at the very least have lasting consequences on Apple’s bottom line.
Let’s hope Apple has carefully thought out their contingency plan!
Or not. Either way.
it is named after a concert promoter.
I believe you are right.
My mistake.
In which case what I wrote is neither applicable nor irrelevant.
Thank you.
Actually, it is irrelevant. As in you are reading far too much into this. Or… as in, “Who cares?”
“you are reading far too much into this”
Agreed, and I also acknowledge that my original post turns out to be irrelevant having realized my mistake.
After all is said and done, I might also point out that I am relieved that it turns out to be, as you say, “irrelevant”.
Mother of All Facepalms, acknowledgment of mistake notwithstanding.
Holy sh!t.
Billy Graham started his Evangelical career after seeing a traveling tent preacher drive off from his Revival Meeting in a fancy car.
He was living in the same boarding house as my grandfather and told him “You should have seen that car and his fine clothes, that’s the life for me”.
So your rant above is farcical.
Although there is nothing wrong with being wealthy Billy Graham’s net worth is $25 million dollars from his preaching work. So… he’s fleeced the flock for personal gain… intentional or not. So much for “you received free, you should give free”.
No offense, but it’s people like Billy Graham that have turned people OFF the bible, even the bible condemns things like profiting off of religious services… as that’s precisely what the pharisees were doing.
It is named after Bill Graham, of Fillmore West and East fame. Yes, rock and roll. Not holy rollers. Your rant is incompetent, immaterial, and irrelevant.
Did you not read my second post in which I thank El Tritoma for pointing out my mistake?
My original post was not in any way a “rant” more simply meant to reflect my total surprise.
You wrote a frickin’ book! I understand perfectly why Apple chose this venue. It’s where they publicly announced the Apple II. You’re making way too much of this. Go enjoy your weekend. I have no need for a sermon. Thank you. Drive through. Next!
“In other words, a gay lifestyle is a direct affront to God.”
The same parts of the Bible declare that eating shellfish and wearing mixed fabrics are a direct affront to God.
…and bacon. Don’t forget bacon.
And stoning your children to death, if they are disobedient or disrespectful.
Well, not MY children. I have them whipped into shape.
But the neighbor’s kids… that’s another matter. First of all, I refused them service at my coffee-shop, because they look kind of gay. Then they were disrespectful AND one had a t-shirt saying, “I love eating shellfish”. So I stoned them to death.
Incorrect. Under the mosaic law there were dietary restrictions. These were in place for the Israelites. Note that there are actually pretty good reasons for some of the restrictions. For example, not to eat pork. It’s an easy meat to get sick from if not kept or cooked properly.
In any case, homosexual acts are mentioned in the same verses as premarital sex, extra-marital sex and other acts. Any Christian who denounces homosexuality better have remained chaste before marriage or at least consider sex outside of marriage as “an abomination” otherwise they’re simply hypocrites.
There’s something wrong with someone that obsesses over the lives of other people. There’s something even more wrong to use bronze-age mythology to determine morals in today’s society. The utter ridiculousness of people who don’t believe in the modern world, yet use computers to say so, says much about the hypocrisy, lack of critical thinking, and foolishness of that group.
Wait, what? Isn’t this Maccabeean Daily News? /s
OK I just bought for fun a Sphero BB-8 & received my cool copy of Taschen’s “Making of 2001: A Space Odyssey” so now my thrill-gotten gains cast their eyes back on Apple’s Sept. 9th event and what I can buy there. Can’t wait.
“Apple’s earnings are about to explode.” – Captain Obvious
Prepare for the complaints! Every article about the Sept. 9 event will whine about what was not announced. Every article will say Apple is over and done with.
BYKAID
well, children, looks like the adblockers won. losers.
Apple and Bill Graham…
Two of my favorite things!
I sure as heck hope this ain’t a-gonna be them spendin’ a whole lotta dough just to pretend that somethin’ is a real big deal when we can see with our own eyes it ain’t.
Goede info, bedankt