Apple's digital storefronts rumored to get a face-lift

Apple's trio of digital storefronts are getting a visual overhaul soon, according to a new rumor.

Citing anonymous sources, Apple blog 9to5Mac said today that the iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBookstore are getting visual overhauls that will bring "more interactivity." What that actually entails is unclear.

The report adds that the change will also add more social features to store pages. Presumably this would go beyond the current "tell a friend" option that lets you send a quick detail page about the app to someone else by e-mail. 9to5Mac suggests Apple will add a way to share on Facebook, adding a certain degree of credibility to a report from earlier today saying Facebook would be deeply integrated in iOS 6.

One other noteworthy tidbit from the report is that the new stores will not offer any major overhaul to the built-in search tools. Such a move was expected after Apple acquired a small app-finding company called Chomp a few months ago. 9to5Mac says the initial iOS 6 updates for the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore will not feature improved app discoverability -- something critics have highlighted as a weak point as the size of the App Store has grown.

Apple's annual developer conference is a little more than a week away. The company is expected to introduce iOS 6 there, like it did with iOS 5 last year.