The Genius Bars in Apple’s retail stores are supposed to be convenient ways to answer questions and get repairs. Whenever there is an issue with the iPhone or iPad, many people head straight to the Genius Bar, only to be turned away without an appointment or to realize it was a simple issue they could have fixed at home. With this unnamed app, Apple is trying to narrow down the cause of your problem by asking questions, and offer chances to contact support, book a Genius Bar appointment or (if it’s a relatively minor issue) fix it yourself through how-to guides.
According to sources familiar with its development, the app asks customers “basic questions about the device in need of repair to boil down to the problem quickly” and enables them to “book a service, send their device in for service, or give a call to Apple.” The app lists all of the devices registered to your Apple ID, giving you a range of pre-defined common problems for each device type. Some of the support options that users can access through the app reportedly include built-in live chat, contacting Apple Support directly, setting up a Genius Bar appointment and more. “It’s highly interactive, and well integrated,” a source said. Apple’s existing Apple Store app already offers some of this functionality. For example, you can book an appointment with a Genius at your nearby Apple Store. It’s currently unclear if this app will be released as a standalone application or maybe see its functionality folded into the existing Apple Store. Nonetheless, it could do a lot to improve your overall support experience and raise overall customer satisfaction.
