You’ve no doubt heard about -- or by now, have even seen -- the new “Apple Store 2.0” initiative that Cupertino rolled out in their retail stores over the weekend. The changes even extend to the palm of your hand, with the Apple Store app receiving a 1.3 update overnight.
Apple has released version 1.3 of the Apple Store app overnight. While there are really only two changes for U.S. customers, the big news for the rest of the world is the availability of the app at all -- it’s no longer exclusive to Apple’s home turf, but starting moving across European App Stores including France, Germany, U.K. and Spain.
Otherwise, the biggest addition to this update is “the ability to custom-configure a new Mac with the options you want,” as widely rumored in recent days. No more waiting to get to a computer when you feel the urge to order the fastest iMac or a MacBook Pro topped off with the biggest hard drive or most memory -- it’s all right there in the palm of your hand.
In keeping with the “Apple Store 2.0” initiative which now uses iPads in-store for product information rather than table cards, the Apple Store app also offers an “enhanced in-store mode” that offers “help and support when you’re at an Apple Retail Store.” That includes calling a specialist over, checking the status of support openings at the Genius Bar and even seeing when the next workshop begins -- and what it’s focused on.
Unfortunately, Apple Store 1.3 is still not a universal app, bringing no love to the iPad (although the app does run on an iPad, just not optimally). Judging from some of the customer reviews on the App Store, Cupertino has missed a fairly sizeable opportunity to make users happy here… but we can still dream about native iPad support for version 1.5 or perhaps version 2.0 someday, right?
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