A Look at the New Apple Store 2.0
As many Apple fanboys and fangirls now know, Apple did a small makeover in their stores on Sunday night, adding new sections, installing new iPad kiosks and even updating their iOS Apple Store app with some cool new features. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the changes at your local Apple Store, never fear. We’ve got you covered! We'll take you on an Apple Store outing and show you the new changes you’ll notice the next time you’re in a store.
Apple Store 2.0 Now Works with the iOS Apple Store App
On Sunday night, Apple updated their iPhone Apple Store application [iTunes link] with some pretty nifty new features, including a tab that becomes available once you’re actually inside an Apple Retail Store. When you’re in a store, you can use your iPhone to request help for a product, see when the next workshops are scheduled, or view the available Genius Bar appointments.
While in the store, we tried out the request help feature of the application. With very few people in the store, we got help within a couple of minutes. After requesting help, your name is transmitted to an available associates’ iPod touch. When the associate is ready to meet up with you, you will get a push notification from the Apple Store app with their picture, letting you know they will be at the front of the store to greet you.
Also new in the Apple Store app is the ability to custom configure and order a new Mac. This feature, which was previously unavailable, brings the iPhone app up to par with the Apple Store website.
iPad Kiosks: More than Just Demos
The new iPad kiosks are one of the most talked about new features of the store. The iPads replace the previous acrylic and paper signage that let you know about available specifications and prices of the products. In addition, the app on the iPads allows you to request help from a specialist (just as you would on your iPhone using the Apple Store app), find out more information about the product, and see prices and specs.
Each product that Apple sells has an iPad kiosk beside it, including the iPads. At first, it looks weird to have that many iPads in a row, but it does simplify Apple’s iPad product lineup for iOS devices. The kiosk lets you see which carriers the device is available on (Verizon or AT&T), and the features of each carrier as well. This is a nice touch, especially for customers who have a difficult time deciding which carrier to go with.
Helping You Get Your Personal Setup
Apple has always offered personalized setup of your newly purchased Mac in the store. This free-of-charge service gives new Mac owners the ability to bring in their old computer and have a Genius transfer over their data to the Mac. Apple has now dedicated a section of the store to this personalized setup. Obviously, this new section will alleviate strain on the Genius Bar, allowing them to focus on giving actual tech support to those who need it.
We’re not sure if all Apple Stores now have this section, but the one we paid a visit to had two tables set up in the back of the store specifically for this purpose.
Follow this article’s author, Cory Bohon on Twitter.
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