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Apple Online Store Gains New Toys Ahead of the Holidays, Now Offering Barbie and Skylanders

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Apr 12, 2001
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As of this week, Apple has begun offering several new toys in its online Apple Store, including a Barbie from Mattel, a Skylanders game, and a WowWee Robot. The new online-only additions come just ahead of the holiday season and mark Apple's continued efforts to bolster its products aimed at younger children.

The most curious new toy offered in the online Apple Store is a Barbie Fashion Design Maker Doll from Mattel. Sold for $49.95, the Barbie is the first doll that Apple has ever sold and at first glance, appears out of place in the online store. The Barbie is a standard Barbie doll, but it is designed to be used alongside a free app [Direct Link] on the iPad that allows children to create customized clothes on printable fabric sheets.

barbieipad.jpg
To start, download the free design software app to your iPad, or visit the website to download to your Mac or PC. Use it to create completely customized designs. Select patterns, colors, and accessories available within the program, and add photos to make a really personal statement. Print your finished and fabulous creations onto the eight enclosed printable fabric sheets -- and watch them go from 2D to 3D.
Click to expand...
Along with the Barbie doll, Apple is also now selling the Activision Skylanders Trap Team Starter Pack for the iPad. Available for several months via other outlets like Amazon, the Trap Team Starter Pack brings the popular Skylanders console game experience to the iPad. Much like Barbie, Skylanders is very popular with children.

Apple's third kid-oriented offering added this week is the WowWee MiP Robot, a $99 gesture-controlled toy robot that plays games, dances, battles with other robots, and delivers small items.

wowweerobot.jpg
Full of personality, WowWee's MiP gesture-controlled robot gives you seven different modes and a free app for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that offers a bunch of games. Swipe your hands in front MiP's eyes to the direction of your choosing and watch him follow suit. Or load up MiP's tray with a can of soda and use the MiP app to deliver it. MiP is a loveable toy your whole family can enjoy.
Click to expand...
Apple has long offered a variety of iOS-related toys suitable for both children and adults like the Anki DRIVE and the Sphero, but over the course of the last few months, the company has added several accessories oriented solely at its youngest consumers. Products added in 2014 include the Philips/Disney Friends of Hue StoryLight kit, the Tiggly Shapes toddler game, and the Osmo educational gaming system are all aimed at children.

It is not entirely clear why Apple has boosted its focus on accessories for younger children in recent months, but drawing kids into the Apple Store with iPad and iPhone-oriented toys pushes them into the Apple ecosystem at an early age, potentially allowing the company to create lifelong customers.

The expanded range of toys offered by Apple also lets the company reach a whole new demographic and it may be part of new retail chief Angela Ahrendts' efforts to redesign the Apple retail experience. As noted earlier this year, Apple's new head of retail is aiming to overhaul the end-to-end Apple Store sales experience, reimagining product discovery and improving customer interactions with employees.

Article Link: Apple Online Store Gains New Toys Ahead of the Holidays, Now Offering Barbie and Skylanders
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/12/10/apple-online-store-new-kids-toys/
M

macintologist

macrumors 6502a
May 3, 2004
637
878
This should make Apple stock holders happy. You want to develop brand awareness at a young age, and besides, parents will love this stuff.
 
R

Rayd5365

macrumors member
Aug 31, 2010
74
162
This will be awesome, young girls can get a start on their unrealistic body expectations at the Apple store now. :)
 
acctman

acctman

macrumors 65816
Oct 26, 2012
1,323
856
Georgia
here comes all the childish self righteous male ego bashing comments about barbies and toys... :rolleyes:
 
S

SeattleMoose

macrumors 68000
Jul 17, 2009
1,960
1,670
Der Wald
Rayd5365 said:
This will be awesome, young girls can get a start on their unrealistic body expectations at the Apple store now. :)
Click to expand...

Actually girls used to be slim before they cut PE, invented fast food, ding dongs, video games, and a life that involves just moving on the couch from one LCD to another.
 
ArtOfWarfare

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Nov 26, 2007
9,560
6,059
Apple trying to spread brand awareness to parents and children? Great.

Apple using Barbie to do it? Not fine.

My main reasons why not:
"Math is hard".
"I can be a computer engineer" (which from the title might sound like a good book, but you should read it first.)

Barbie is actively trying to drag girls down in STEM, and she's pretty good at it, too.
 
O

Olivier Giround

macrumors member
Sep 10, 2014
76
0
SeattleMoose said:
Actually girls used to be slim before they cut PE, invented fast food, ding dongs, video games, and a life that involves just moving on the couch from one LCD to another.
Click to expand...

McDonalds started in 1948. Ding Dongs in 1967. Video games in 1972.

Do you even know what your point is?
 
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cogitodexter

cogitodexter

macrumors regular
Jun 22, 2009
131
224
Naaaaaaarfolk, England
Barbie? I genuinely thought Apple were better than that.

If there's a toy that tries to accentuate the idea that 'size zero' is the peak achievement any girl can aspire to, then 'Barbie' is definitely the guilty one.

I know someone who has been driven to suicidal thoughts in part because of the unrealistic expectations about what the female figure 'should' look like.

Apple, especially considering its commitment to equality, should have no part of it.
 
diddl14

diddl14

macrumors 65816
Aug 10, 2009
1,102
1,730
"drawing kids into the Apple Store with iPad and iPhone-oriented toys pushes them into the Apple ecosystem at an early age, potentially allowing the company to create lifelong customers. "

That sounds really evil...
 
Nunyabinez

Nunyabinez

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2010
1,758
2,230
Provo, UT
Rayd5365 said:
This will be awesome, young girls can get a start on their unrealistic body expectations at the Apple store now. :)
Click to expand...

And I'm glad they sell movies and comics with male super heros that have enormous pecs and rippling abs so that boys can feel bad about their puny arms.

It's everywhere in our society and affects both genders and it's not going away any time soon.
 
bradl

bradl

macrumors 603
Jun 16, 2008
5,923
17,399
diddl14 said:
"drawing kids into the Apple Store with iPad and iPhone-oriented toys pushes them into the Apple ecosystem at an early age, potentially allowing the company to create lifelong customers. "

That sounds really evil...
Click to expand...

Hmm.. Let's put it another way.

"drawing kids into the McDonald's Store with kid-oriented toys pushes them into the McDonald's ecosystem at an early age, potentially allowing the company to create lifelong customers. "
Click to expand...

In short, Happy Meal. Really makes you think about it, doesn't it? So, could tech be becoming the next Fast Food?

BL.
 
teslo

teslo

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2014
929
599
Olivier Giround said:
McDonalds started in 1948. Ding Dongs in 1967. Video games in 1972.

Do you even know what your point is?
Click to expand...

sounds like a little devil's advocate comment. would healthier slimmer girls feel a bit differently about their bodies as compared to societal/toy-maker executives' mass marketed depictions directed at corn-syrup guzzlers of today? yeah, probably (and we can then debate teachers vs parents vs government), but regardless, barbie specifically is the worst of the bunch as far as this goes. def not in line with apple's brand and message.
 
markcres

markcres

macrumors 6502
Mar 30, 2006
320
313
UK
Wow. Barbie has piled on the pounds.
She needs run her fat ass around the block a few times to get back into shape - or she will never catch Ken's eye.
 
U

usarioclave

macrumors 65816
Sep 26, 2003
1,447
1,506
Rayd5365 said:
This will be awesome, young girls can get a start on their unrealistic body expectations at the Apple store now. :)
Click to expand...

I wonder how the fabric sheets work. At some point it'd be great if you could really print clothes at home.

As for body image, well, millions of kids have played with dolls for centuries. What you're saying is that Barbie has a svengali-like hold over girls' minds?
 
cogitodexter

cogitodexter

macrumors regular
Jun 22, 2009
131
224
Naaaaaaarfolk, England
usarioclave said:
I wonder how the fabric sheets work. At some point it'd be great if you could really print clothes at home.

As for body image, well, millions of kids have played with dolls for centuries. What you're saying is that Barbie has a svengali-like hold over girls' minds?
Click to expand...

Take a look at Victoria Beckham for your answer...
 
macduke

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,139
19,675
I wonder how many years before kids can use an iPad app and an affordable 3D printer to make their own toys? There could even be a 3D printing toy store built into the app where you download models to print or sell your own creations. It's a great time to be a new parent. I was looking forward to getting into Legos again but 3D printing with my kids could also be really fun.
 
teslo

teslo

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2014
929
599
markcres said:
Wow. Barbie has piled on the pounds.
She needs run her fat ass around the block a few times to get back into shape - or she will never catch Ken's eye.
Click to expand...

just noticed this - i almost backtrack on my comment from earlier (a little) - if that's how all barbies look now then it's basically in line with the rest of the skinny alien-faced dolls out there.
 
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