Tomorrow, expect to see a brand new update to Apple’s dedicated Apple Store app. Not to be confused with the iTunes App Store on your iPhone, iPad or iPad Touch, the Apple Store app has long been a convenient way to buy products directly from Apple straight from your device.
With Thursday’s update, customers will be able to purchase an item and pick it up from a store just 12 minutes later, providing it’s in stock of course. If a customer demands something that needs to be configured or set up (say a laptop with extra memory or a bigger hard-drive), a nearby store will be notified and the shopper will be informed (again, within 12 minutes) when it will be ready for pick up.
This is some handy technology for people who want to get hold of an item quickly and have a physical store close by. More interesting, however, is the customer self-checkout capability that the updated Apple Store app also offers. As many of you know, Apple Stores can get crazily busy and waiting in line to check-out once you’ve decided to purchase something can take a while. Now, you’ll be able to scan a product’s barcode with your iPhone’s camera and the credit card connected to your Apple ID account will be charged immediately. Then, you simply walk out the store with your item. Pure genius!
Let’s hope it works out and there’s no gremlins in the system when it launches tomorrow. That’s some pretty neat (and complex) technology which promises to make shopping with Apple easier and more convenient.
