Apple's new Passbook for iOS 6 organizes tickets, store cards, more
A new application coming in iOS 6 is "Passbook," which organizes various items like movie or sporting event tickets, store membership cards, and airplane boarding passes.
Apple's head of iOS software development, Scott Forstall, unveiled Passbook at Monday's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. The software is a new native application that will come built in to iOS 6.
Passbook's user interface presents users' personal items in a card-like interface that is updated live as things change. For example, if the boarding gate on an airplane changes, the ticket is updated to reflect this, and the user is sent a notification.
Geolocation with the iPhone will also pull up the appropriate card for a user. For example, by going to a Starbucks and opening the Passbook app, users will see their Starbucks membership card to scan.
Apple also has integration with its own retail stores and gift cards. In one example, a gift card was shown with a QR code for scanning, and Passbook notified the user that they have $150 left on the card.
Apple's head of iOS software development, Scott Forstall, unveiled Passbook at Monday's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. The software is a new native application that will come built in to iOS 6.
Passbook's user interface presents users' personal items in a card-like interface that is updated live as things change. For example, if the boarding gate on an airplane changes, the ticket is updated to reflect this, and the user is sent a notification.
Geolocation with the iPhone will also pull up the appropriate card for a user. For example, by going to a Starbucks and opening the Passbook app, users will see their Starbucks membership card to scan.
Apple also has integration with its own retail stores and gift cards. In one example, a gift card was shown with a QR code for scanning, and Passbook notified the user that they have $150 left on the card.
Comments
One more step closer to your iDevice becoming your wallet: removal of physical cards.
This will become more useful as more stores (especially grocery stores) upgrade their scanners. The barcode/QR-code will not work with the more common laser scanners - only with camera-based scanners.
A way to bypass NFC? Once again, Apple disrupts a technology.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scades
A way to bypass NFC? Once again, Apple disrupts a technology.
Um, Think Different?
Good point, I tried that 2 years ago at movie theater in Amsterdam with an email with barcode. Didn't work.
Seems like a nice app though.
J.
This is such a great idea. A few weeks ago I was saying how much I wished fandango would send QR code to scan rather than a confirmation number
I like this idea. This will be a killer app.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UnisZuurmond
Here in South Africa, "passbook" has a very negative connotation. The previous government issued black people with passbooks which allowed them to into white areas to work.
Ah, that's interesting.
But think of it this way: Now the connotation is that it allows everyone access to everything everywhere.
Plus unlike NFC a scan based system can't be skimmed by a passerby with a theft-device? So security would seem to be better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UnisZuurmond
Here in South Africa, "passbook" has a very negative connotation. The previous government issued black people with passbooks which allowed them to into white areas to work.
This is very different. Apple will be issuing Passbook to white people so they can access Starbucks.
Neat feature. Another example of Apple trying to improve people's everyday tasks with technology.
Can't help but wonder if this will precede some sort of NFC implementation in future hardware.
Is this feature the same as Google Wallet in terms of technology? Or are we looking at different scanners for this? Is Google Wallet that 'NFC' method? And hence (the Apple solution) is better and more secure? It would have been helpful if Apple could have explained how this feature was a 'better' and 'more secure' implementation of what a certain other company has already rolled out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scades
A way to bypass NFC? Once again, Apple disrupts a technology.
Only if merchants upgrade their equipment to accept this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scades
A way to bypass NFC? Once again, Apple disrupts a technology.
or the first step towards adding it. Get folks used to using this app in place of plastic cards and paper printouts and then it will be easy to move them to selecting and tapping.
This is what I think Apple is going for too: iPhone 5 with NFC. "Your movie and sport event tickets, coupons, customer loyalty cards and room keys are already on your iPhone. Why not add credit and debit cards to the fray as well. Today we're announcing that Passbook is now iWallet, because we'll revolutionize this shit with some of our magic too. Also **** you, that's why."
This is what I think Apple is going for too: iPhone 5 with NFC. "Your movie and sport event tickets, coupons, customer loyalty cards and room keys are already on your iPhone. Why not add credit and debit cards to the fray as well. Today we're announcing that Passbook is now iWallet, because we'll revolutionize this shit with some of our magic too. Also **** you, that's why."
It sounds great!! But I assume this will only work in the USA, not in UK any time soon... And with the current economic climate, I doubt many stores will update their scanners, etc... so this works.
When is support for UK expected???