If you spot this new 'hello' sign hidden away in your local Apple Store, it's there because of the new iPhone 18 Pro

Apple has introduced small blue "hello" signs in select retail stores as part of the testing process for the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models. These signs are designed to assist customers in exploring the enhanced optical zoom capabilities of the devices. Despite offering the same optical zoom as the previous iPhone 17 models, the new handsets introduce advanced Pro controls, including adjustable lens aperture, shutter speed, and white balance.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models began their availability in Apple stores on September 18, priced starting at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,099 for 256GB of storage. New Apple CEO John Ternus attended the reopening of the Apple Store in New York to mark the wider release of these flagship smartphones and other devices like the Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5.

While the CEO did not comment on the blue "hello" signs, they have been observed by customers, positioned on higher shelves, possibly to deter them from being taken as souvenirs. Rumors suggest that the iPhone 18 is expected to launch around March, alongside the iPhone 18e and the iPhone Air 2.