Apple has launched an official app that lets you buy Apple stuff from your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. And when I say Apple stuff, I mean physical stuff, like an iPhone, iPod, iPad, Mac, or accessories. Basically, it’s the Apple web store in mobile app form.

It’s kind of shocking that this app didn’t come out two years ago. The mobile app lets you place orders or pre-orders for products, which means you can use your iPhone 3GS to place an order for an iPhone 4 like the good member of the consumer culture that you are.

The Apple Store app is available as a free download from the App Store, but it’s only available in the US at the moment.

While you’d think launching the Apple Store app on the same day that the iPhone 4 goes up for pre-order would have been a good idea. But it turns out that the Apple Store web site has been down for much of the morning so far… and that means that when I fired up the Apple Store app this morning I was greeted with the familiar “We’ll be back soon” message. But you can check out a few screenshots courtesy of Apple after the break.

Brad Linder

Brad Linder is editor of Liliputing and Mobiputing. He's been tinkering with mobile tech for decades and writing about it since...