The rumored update to the Apple Store app for iPhone that we noted last week could revolutionize retail has arrived, albeit a bit later than expected. Apple Store 2.0 brings many improvements, the most noteworthy among them being Personal Pickup and EasyPay services.
As reported, the app now allows you to purchase items directly for in-store pickup, available within an hour if it’s in stock at the local store of your choosing. If an item isn’t available, the expected ship times listed in the online store appear to apply. You can also now order custom Mac configurations (with more RAM, bigger hard drives, etc.) for in-store pickup through the app.
The other big new addition is EasyPay, which allows you to scan the bar codes of items you wish to purchase in-store with your iPhone’s camera (iPhone 4 or 4S only), and then pay for them directly in the app using your iTunes payment credentials. The app stores your EasyPay purchase receipts, which should come in handy if you ever have to provide proof of purchase to in-store security on your way out the door.
There’s a new option to track the status of your orders right from within the app, too, which makes it easier to keep track of your online and in-store purchases in one place. The new Personal Pickup and EasyPay services are limited to U.S. customers only for now, but the update does introduce international support for Canadian and Chinese Apple Store customers for its other existing features. Hopefully Apple will continue to roll out EasyPay and Personal Pickup internationally if all goes well with the U.S. launch.
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