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Thursday, April 26, 2012, 05:00 pm
Kids' tables at Apple Stores move from iMacs to iPads
Apple retail stores are slowly replacing the iMacs in child-friendly areas with iPads, marking the first time a product other than the venerable desktop will be displayed at the tables.It is unclear when the migration from iMacs to iPads began or if it will become an overarching Apple Store policy, but reports confirm that at least a few locations have initiated the switch, reports iMore.
The kids' area was part of the computer giant's retail plan from beginning and was built into the first Apple Store which opened in 2001.
Since its inception, the children's table has always featured the all-in-one iMac, receiving regular refreshes as the company moved from CRT models to the current aluminum body versions. With their pre-loaded software, the machines were advertisements not only for the iMac as an educational tool, but also for learning programs that might have otherwise been overlooked.
The new iPads continue the demo-learning tradition and feature child-friendly apps that are easy to pick up and play. Games are de rigueur, though beyond that the installed content has gone unreported.
Apple's kids' area floor plan remains the same, with low-rise wooden tables surrounded by the distinctive squishy, ball-like chairs made by Baleri Italia. The location also hasn't changed from being one of the farthest places inside the store, which allows parents to drop their children off as they browse Apple's wares.
New iPads seen at Apple Store kids' area. | Source: iMore
The iPad continues to be a dominating presence at Apple Stores worldwide. The company recently swapped out product information placards for the more interactive tablet running proprietary software that not only features an item's specs and comparable models, but is also able to call for help from an in-store specialists, some of whom carry iPads running specialized software.
Steve Jobs giving a tour of the first Apple Store (kids' area begins at 2:00 min.). | Source: vintagemacmuseum's YouTube channel.
Apple is pushing into the education space with its affordable iPad 2 which, at its new $399 price point, saw twice as many purchases than Macs from U.S K-12 schools. Paired with with the revamped iTunes U, the iPad is shaping up to be a real contender for institutions looking to jump into digital textbooks.
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Previous Comments View All
Wow - things have changed over the last 11 years! The store looks fugly and what's with the wood floor? ;)
Wow - things have changed over the last 11 years! The store looks fugly and what's with the wood floor? ;)
Yeah that was shot with a handheld amateur camera with the onboard mic. Steve seemed a little insecure in his presentation as well. He was kind of rushing like he was all hyped up on caffeine.
My 2 1/2 year old plays with our iPad at home all the time. We have it loaded with educational apps for her. When we go into the Apple store on occassion, she is drawn to the kids table but there sit these clunky computers. Kids love the touch interface. The keyboard and mouse are just impediments for them.
I wish they had added iPads, not taken away the iMacs.
The Palo Alto store actually started with eMacs in the kids area. They were so beautiful and could successfully hold the table down in case of tornado.
The Palo Alto store actually started with eMacs in the kids area. They were so beautiful and could successfully hold the table down in case of tornado.
I'm still using my eMac. Got a hernia carrying it up to my apartment so there's no way it's ever getting out of here again in one piece.
Makes sense that kids should have iPads to muck around with at the store, what with iBooks and all, the educational potential is so huge. Hope to see the day when every student is issued an iPad on the first day of school. But for reading especially, the screens on the iPad 2 really suffer comparison to the new iPad, I'd like to see Apple stop pushing the older one to educational institutions and instead offer them a decent discount on this year's model. Not gonna happen but I can dream.
I wish they had added iPads, not taken away the iMacs.
Yes, because Apple stores have infinite space and are not already crowded as is, so they can keep adding stuff without removing anything, right?
I think Apple thought for a few seconds longer than you before making this decision, and they made the rational one. iMacs don't need to be in 2 separate sections, and for kids iPads make much more sense, as well as taking much less space.
I'll await the inevitable deluge of posts describing how this is a sign that Apple is 'killing off' the iMac and other such nonsense.
I think Apple thought for a few seconds longer than you before making this decision, and they made the rational one. iPads don't need to be in 2 separate sections.
Huh. Look at that. I think that when you can change one word and have the argument turned all the way around, there's something wrong with the argument.
As the kids' table is a section with a specific purpose, it's outside such "rules" for devices showing up "multiple times".
And as the Mac remains an integral part of the ecosystem, I'm going to have to ask you for a legitimate reason the iMac couldn't fit alongside the iPad on that table.
Huh. Look at that. I think that when you can change one word and have the argument turned all the way around, there's something wrong with the argument.
As the kids' table is a section with a specific purpose, it's outside such "rules" for devices showing up "multiple times".
And as the Mac remains an integral part of the ecosystem, I'm going to have to ask you for a legitimate reason the iMac couldn't fit alongside the iPad on that table.
Not only just a marketing tool to try and get the kiddies hooked early, don't you think the children's section is more for babysitting while the parents make their selections and purchases? They may have their reasons, and for obvious reasons they know what their doing much more than I, but I would have a mix of both iPads and iMacs for both reasons.
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