Apple is letting online customers videocall specialists for a more personal shopping experience

The Specialist over Video shopping experience is only available for Apple.com customers in the US right now.

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(Image: Apple)

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There’s a gap between in-store shopping and online shopping today that sets their experiences worlds apart. Where in-store shopping encourages interaction with salespeople for a more personal experience, online shopping lacks the human touch almost completely. Apple is trying to bridge this gap with its new Specialist over Video shopping experience that connects you with a retail team member as you shop online for the latest iPhones.

Apple.com customers in the US can now browse the apple.com store while a retail team member fills them in on new features, Apple Trade-In offers, carrier deals, switching to iOS, and various financing options.

The process for getting started is easy enough. Customers can visit the iPhones section in the Apple website and instantly connect with an Apple Specialist in “just a few clicks.” Once connected, they can compare features, colours, and sizes, and find the best exchange deals.

Also read | How to buy the Yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in India

During the session, customers will be able to see the Apple Specialist on their screen, but the latter will not be able to see the former. If all specialists are busy, then the customer can alternatively contact a Specialist over the phone or via chat 24 hours a day.

Unfortunately, there are no plans to launch this feature in India anytime soon, or at least that’s what it looks like from the press release. Watching video reviews or directly reading the spec sheets continue to be the only two ways most smartphone buyers can learn about the devices they are interested in. If Apple does launch Specialist over Video in India, it could prove to be a game-changer, helping customers instantly learn what iPhone they should get and under what finance option. The only thing that’d be missing then is getting an in-hand feel of the phones but that’s a discussion for another day.

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Apple Inc