Apple May Bring Ping to The Physical World of Retail

**Michael Essany** · 12-30-2010, 11:51 AM

Apple's upstart digital social networking platform dubbed Ping may soon manifest outside of our computer screens and inside of our nearest brick-and-mortar retail outlets and shopping malls. How would it work exactly? Well, for the time being, even Apple may not have the full picture of how this concept will play out. But thanks to a little investigative work by our friends at Apple Insider, we know this much: Apple is tinkering with the prospect of expanding Ping's reach into the physical realm of retail.

Behind the idea is a new patent, the application for which was just released by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent application - known as "Social Networking in Shopping Environments" - foreshadows a time where shoppers with a mobile gadget like the iPhone or iPod touch can network with other shoppers while engaged in the act of shopping.

In a store, a kiosk would allow customers to access a product list and information on their phone. That product and the details about it could then be shared through Apple's social networking tool. In one example, a user can identify items of interest and share information directly to mobile devices of their friends. From there, friends can review the products and provide their own comments and feedback.

Although Ping is yet to become a dominant force to be reckoned with in the digital world, the appetite for social networking among the masses has never been greater and more ripe for expansion. If Apple can pull off a way to imbue social networking into the contemporary retail experience in a manner that syncs with connected shoppers, a revolution in retail may lie just ahead.

Apple Insider

**dq13** · 12-30-2010, 12:44 PM

oh, it's kinda like taking a picture and MMS to a friend to get their opinion... I think its pointless

**sub zero** · 12-30-2010, 12:47 PM

i can see this being more annoying than facebook and tweeter post whores

**feidhlim1986** · 12-30-2010, 02:04 PM

Ping is useless. Why was it even invented...

**whereswaldo** · 12-30-2010, 02:57 PM

If this idea is as successful as the rest of ping, it'll fail

**Zokunei** · 12-30-2010, 04:47 PM

Not to mention there's already an app for this.

**vruls** · 12-30-2010, 04:50 PM

Unrelated, but my friends is still stuck up that the iPhone sucks because you cant send pictures, and songs and other things through bluetooth...

**Zokunei** · 12-30-2010, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by vruls

Unrelated, but my friends is still stuck up that the iPhone sucks because you cant send pictures, and songs and other things through bluetooth...

Why post something unrelated?

**whereswaldo** · 12-30-2010, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by vruls

Unrelated, but my friends is still stuck up that the iPhone sucks because you cant send pictures, and songs and other things through bluetooth...

Yes you can, it's called iBluenova or iFile

**dale1v** · 12-30-2010, 07:02 PM

Yuck.

**coolguy742** · 12-30-2010, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Zokunei

Not to mention there's already an app for this.

Hahaha yeah,
"there's an app for that."
-Apple

**Zokunei** · 12-30-2010, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by coolguy742

Hahaha yeah,
"there's an app for that."
-Apple

I'm serious though, Opinionaided already has this covered. I don't use it though lol.

I love how Apple jumps from patenting half-innovative UI's to making a patent with the most bland, unoriginal UI possible for this lol

**Rob2G** · 12-31-2010, 02:18 AM

this "App" Looks soo stupid I cant even think of anything clever to post about how its sucks. I thinK I think I got dumber reading about it.

**mortopher** · 01-01-2011, 01:08 AM

I sure hope this is another one of apples patents that never sees the light of day.

**StealthBravo** · 01-01-2011, 01:27 AM

^ I agree. I wish ping didn't see the light of day

**EskimoRuler** · 01-01-2011, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by dq13

oh, it's kinda like taking a picture and MMS to a friend to get their opinion... I think its pointless

Really idiotic. Make your own decisions. People are so helpless these days

**StealthBravo** · 01-01-2011, 02:55 PM

I like to ask for people's advice on twitter. Maybe not for clothing but for software.

**Zokunei** · 01-01-2011, 03:16 PM

I might do that if I had a follower. Lol.

**StealthBravo** · 01-01-2011, 03:23 PM

You have 0 followers?

**ro0oney** · 01-01-2011, 06:34 PM

i already dislike ping.. its all about purchasing stuff!!

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Thread: Apple May Bring Ping to The Physical World of Retail

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Apple's upstart digital social networking platform dubbed Ping may soon manifest outside of our computer screens and inside of our nearest brick-and-mortar retail outlets and shopping malls. How would it

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