By: Nick Gambino
The oft-overlooked Apple Store app just got a facelift and some new features that might entice iOS users to fire up the app more often. That’s the “Apple Store” app, not the “App Store” app. The Apple Store allows you to shop for products and accessories provided by the Cupertino-based company.
The app just received an update that allows for voice command searches. So the next time you’re on the hunt for new Apple products like MacBooks, iPhones, iMacs or any of the various accessories like chargers, AirPods, etc., you can just say the keyword and it’ll pull up all search results.
“Search has been updated with an enhanced design. And it’s now powered with speech recognition technology for better search results,” the update to Version 5.1 reads in the App Store.
You’ll need to tap the little microphone icon on the right side of the search field in order to get the app to perk up its ears and pay attention. But other than that, you can just ask it what you want.
Coupled with the additional (easier?) method of searching the Apple Store, there are other upgrades that you’ll see in the search function. You’ll see what’s trending when you select the search page with the little magnifying glass. This is similar to what you might see in the App Store or iTunes Store.
Design-wise, results are now displayed in little cards, making it a lot easier to sift through when you’re browsing products. The results stand alone and seem to pop out.
Now, I’m not sure what the stats are on people using this app. I for one never found I needed it. Whenever I want to buy something from Apple I either head to a brick and mortar Apple Store or drop by Apple.com on my desktop.
So these updates serve more as a reminder to me that the app exists. It’s not a native iOS app on your phone, though it would be justified. If you find yourself in need of constant reorders of Apple products, you might want to consider downloading it from the App Store.
Not that it was ever difficult to navigate but now it’s even easier.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nick Gambino is a regular script writer and tech beat reporter for NewsWatch. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and daughter.
