【2016 Archives】

Apple016 Archivesmaking a huge change to the way you search for products in its online store.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company just released an update to its Apple Store app on iOS that adds voice search. Now, you only need to tap the microphone icon in the search bar and say the keywords out loud to search the entire store for the product you're looking for.

SEE ALSO: Hey Apple, here's how to show the world you love books with iOS 12

The new voice search feature appears in the latest app update (version 5.1), and brings over the redesigned search bar that first appeared in the App Store and iTunes Store. Following the redesign, trending topics will now appear with a 'Try Searching' heading.

More importantly, with voice search you can now ask for things naturally without having to type them in. For instance, you can ask for the nearest Apple Store or a USB-C to micro SD card dongle. The app will return results for either query.

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When I asked for cases that work with my device, it populated several iPhone X cases on its own. The smarter search can also locate a store and search previous orders.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

For those of you who use Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, you can also quickly get information about your account, like when an upgrade will be available. This is crucial for anyone who closely follows the latest iPhone releases.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Along with enhanced search, there's also a slight design tweak. The bottom bar has a simpler design language that looks very sleek.

Beyond all of these subtle changes, the Apple Store app is essentially the same. Hopefully, Apple will realize the usefulness of this voice search and bring it to the App Store and iTunes. For now, this is a pretty sweet consolation.

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