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Apple has replaced the iMacs that were previously on the kids' table at its retail stores with iPads, as first noticed by iMore. The switch is a clear sign of the direction the company is going, particularly with regards to its younger customer base.
The kids' table has been a staple of the Apple Retail Store since it the first locations opened more than 10 years ago. The original tables featured CRT iMacs surrounded by black balls from the Baleri Italia company for children to sit on. Apple, as is typical, spares no expense when it comes to its retail stores -- the chairs cost more than $500 each.
Over the years, as the iMacs themselves have been updated, Apple has replaced the machines with newer models, but this is the first time that a product other than a Mac has been featured.
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(Image of old kids table courtesy Flickr/Ralph and Jenny)
Top Rated Comments
I'm pretty sure kids who want an IT education won't be stopped by the iPad.
Why would everybody learn how to code?
Do doctors have to know how to code?
Do cab drivers have to know how to code?
Etc.
Perfect example of what the average kid does with an Apple device in a store. Play. And that's what they should do. Play. If parents want them to code they can take their children over to a Mac. Otherwise kids will be kids and play and what better thing to play with than an iPad.
Yeah! The kid's section should be Mac Pros with a full-screen terminal window.
That is what happened, isn't it? Maybe I'm misremembering.
This does seem like a good move, the iPad tends to be a more intuitive experience from what I've seen with my own kids.