By Nick Broughall
One of the strengths of the iTunes Store is that Apple has the credit card details of millions of people around the world for simple, one-button payment.
The company has now moved that simplicity over to the real world, letting customers at its Apple retail stores purchase accessories with their iPhone without having to talk to staff at all.
The new feature, called EasyPay, lets you scan the barcode on a product in an Apple Store, see reviews and information about the product and then pay for it using your iTunes account, just like buying an app. If you’re picking up a smaller, off the shelf item, you can even avoid dealing with the staff, although buying an actual Apple product will require them to grab stock from out the back.
If you’re in a hurry, the app lets you buy a product and pick it up from your nearest store location.
The service launched last week as part of the Apple Store app, which also lets Apple customers book and check in for Genius Bar appointments. What’s more, it’s clever enough to know when you’re in an Apple Store to offer the scanning and check-in functionality.
Apple may cop a lot of flack for a lot of its practices, but it’s services like this that are why it’s one of the world’s most valuable companies.