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Apple launches new Shopping category in the App Store promoting Apple Pay

Apple has enabled a new category on the iOS App Store designed to help shoppers find apps for specific retailers. The Shopping category is now rolling out worldwide and includes apps from companies including Apple, Target, eBay. and Groupon.

As the inclusion of these apps demostrates, the section can be used to track down not only products, but also deals, coupons, and auctions. Previously such apps were grouped into the Lifestyle section, which wasn’t the best fit as that also included apps with a wide variety of purposes ranging from keeping up with the Kardashians to connected appliance management.

The category’s home page features a handful of promoted collections, such as apps that include support for Apple Pay, fashion apps, and separate sections for department and grocery stores. There’s also a section dedicated to kids’ stores, like Disney.

A “Save While You Shop” section includes retailers that are currently offering in-app deals, such as free one-day shipping on Zappos and 30% off photo services at Walgreens.

A “Shop for Everything” section featured at the top of the home page breaks up a large number of apps into further categories like “Shop for Cozy” or “Shop for Gifts” to provide some extra help in tracking down the right types of apps for the products shoppers want to buy.

The Shopping category is rolling out across the world now, and may not be showing for all users just yet.

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