Latest Apple Store app update brings Passbook and Siri support

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple on Wednesday released an update to its iOS Apple Store app, adding support for the iOS 6 digital coupon and gift card management software Passbook, as well as integration with Siri.

Apple Store Siri Integration
Query for "iPhone 5 prices" (left) opens Apple Store app (right). | Source: Apple


The update comes less than a month after it was reported that changes were being made to the EasyPay point-of-sale system used in all brick-and-mortar Apple Stores, with the upgrades rumored to be in preparation of support for Passbook-based purchases.

According to the release notes, users will be able to purchase gift cards and email them to friends and family directly from the Apple Store app. Upon receiving the email, the digital cards can be stored in Passbook for use at one of Apple's retail locations.

At the time of this writing, the Apple Gift Cards were not yet available through the app, and a search for "gift card" brought limited results for App Store, iTunes, and iBooks cards, all of which are offered only with physical delivery options. It is unclear when Apple will activate the gift giving service.

The update also brought integration with Apple's Siri virtual assistant, which opens the Apple Store app when questions about price and availability are asked. For example, the question, "How much is an iPhone 5" opens the app directly to the dedicated iPhone page.

The iOS Apple Store app is a free 6.0MB download that can be found in the iOS App Store or iTunes.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    You can already do that with Siri even before this latest Apple Store app update.. Don't upadte the Apple Store app and go ahead and try it..like ask Siri how much the iPhone 5 costs and she'll take you directly to the app.
  • Reply 2 of 18
    I found the same as wurm5150. In fact, when I was pre-ordering the iPhone 5, in the week before preorders, I could not navigate to the iPhone 5 details page in the Apple Store App but Siri would take me there.
  • Reply 3 of 18
    ifij775ifij775 Posts: 470member
    Passbook is going to turn out to be a real boon for retail.
  • Reply 4 of 18
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    After finally figuring out Passbook, I have to say its been great so far for movies, air travel, and Starbucks.

    But it took too long for Apple to organize it, there were very few apps at launch, and there were no clear instructions on how to use it. In particular, if you didn't already use the few apps available at launch, it was very difficult to figure out how Passport worked.

    That said, Apple really should have had Passport built into the iOS 6 App Store app at launch, if for no other reason than to show Apple customers how the thing worked -- you know, by the Apple employees in the Apple store when you bought your iPhone 5, or stopped in to see the iPhone 5.

    Could this be another reason Scott Forstall is no longer running anything?
  • Reply 5 of 18
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mac_128 wrote: »
    After finally figuring out Passbook, I have to say its been great so far for movies, air travel, and Starbucks.

    But it took too long for Apple to organize it, there were very few apps at launch, and there were no clear instructions on how to use it. In particular, if you didn't already use the few apps available at launch, it was very difficult to figure out how Passport worked.

    That said, Apple really should have had Passport built into the iOS 6 App Store app at launch, if for no other reason than to show Apple customers how the thing worked -- you know, by the Apple employees in the Apple store when you bought your iPhone 5, or stopped in to see the iPhone 5.

    Could this be another reason Scott Forstall is no longer running anything?

    Excellent points.

    There have been many great ideas that haven't taken off in the market because they were poorly executed and/or marketed. As much potential as Passbook has it doesn't seem to be widely known, used or even understood by most with iOS 6 installed. Despite that, it has great potential for Apple as one part of service for replacing cash and plastic in our wallets. Another part of this is the Apple Store app that will charge your iTunes Store account for purchases. Put these two together with merchant support and they could change the world again.

    PS: Some issues I have is that Passbook is too dumb. If I use my Starbucks pass and then stay in the store reading/studying the pass will pop back up repeatedly. If I've recently used it or have already ignored it then it needs to go silent for reasonable time frame. Also, I need to be able to set the pass to not work for certain times of the day. If I'm driving by a Starbucks at 11pm at night it shouldn't be popping up. They could at least go by the store hours but having something you can set would be better.
  • Reply 6 of 18
    cgjcgj Posts: 276member


    I hope in iOS 7 app developers will be able to develop their apps to add functionality to Siri. 


     


    Just a silly example: A 'Random Facts' app allowing you to ask Siri to give you a random fact.


    Or a more sensible one: 'My Vodafone' (an app that lets you see how much data allowance you've used, etc.) allowing you to ask Siri how many minutes, texts or how much data you have left. 

  • Reply 7 of 18
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    When you ask it how much an iPhone 5 is, why doesn't it just answer the question, instead of redirecting you to a web page?
  • Reply 8 of 18
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    What's passbook?

    Is that the brilliant idea that has less than 12 apps that support it?


    Such a freakin waste. Maps, no biggie- I actually much much prefer it. Passbook.... What a joke- worst execution I've seen on iOS yet- by a mile.
  • Reply 9 of 18
    v5vv5v Posts: 1,357member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post



    What's passbook?


     


    Who cares? Know what I mean?

  • Reply 10 of 18
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post



    Passbook.... What a joke- worst execution I've seen on iOS yet- by a mile.


     


    Why? I think the execution is not the problem. Lack of support is, for the moment. A virtual wallet like that is going to be obligatory in a few years. Maybe now is a bit early, but why not? It's really practical.

  • Reply 11 of 18
    The starbucks app works great.. but I couldn't get plane tickets to load to passbook when my wife went on a trip a couple of weeks ago. Apple should have had hundreds if not thousands of apps tested and ready to go with fully working passbook support at launch. This was a failure on their part.
  • Reply 12 of 18
    clemynx wrote: »
    Why? I think the execution is not the problem. Lack of support is, for the moment. A virtual wallet like that is going to be obligatory in a few years. Maybe now is a bit early, but why not? It's really practical.

    'Lack of support' is part of 'lack of execution'.

    Passbook -- in its current form -- is dumb, as has been noted. Period.
  • Reply 13 of 18
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member


    For me, execution means the way the app works and is programmed, and has nothing to do with lack of support.


    But if you call it dumb there must be something else, no? I don't think it's dumb.

     

  • Reply 14 of 18
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    clemynx wrote: »
    For me, execution means the way the app works and is programmed, and has nothing to do with lack of support.
    But if you call it dumb there must be something else, no? I don't think it's dumb.

     

    The execution anantksundaram mentions is part of how this app works. It is inherently tied to other companies and other apps. It's a service, so if the service tie in is poor executed then no matter how good the code is within the app it's going to fail because it needs 3rd parties to join in and users benefit from that. The cool shredding effect of passes isn't going to save it.
  • Reply 15 of 18
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post





    'Lack of support' is part of 'lack of execution'.

    Passbook -- in its current form -- is dumb, as has been noted. Period.


    This


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    The execution anantksundaram mentions is part of how this app works. It is inherently tied to other companies and other apps. It's a service, so if the service tie in is poor executed then no matter how good the code is within the app it's going to fail because it needs 3rd parties to join in and users benefit from that. The cool shredding effect of passes isn't going to save it.


    Exactly.  It is a brilliant concept and idea- but they should have partnered up prior to launch with dozens (not just 4 or 5) companies.  You think iTunes would have been successful if they didn't have any deals in place beforehand?

  • Reply 16 of 18
    Glad they added Passbook support... Hope they improve speeds on Siri...

    Very disappointed that the app is still not universal or even works in landscape mode...

    Note to Apple: Apple, you sell iPads and Smart Covers... The Smart Cover has this feature that allows you to raise the back portion up when in landscape mode which makes it easier to use... Your Apple Store app doesn't support landscape mode (and isn't a Universal app, either)... There are features available in the app that aren't available on the web site... The iPad is considered a mobile device... Right?
  • Reply 17 of 18
    v5vv5v Posts: 1,357member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post


    [...] It is a brilliant concept and idea- but they should have partnered up prior to launch with dozens (not just 4 or 5) companies.  You think iTunes would have been successful if they didn't have any deals in place beforehand?



     


    LOL! You nailed it.


     


    "Here's iTunes!"


    "What does it do?"


    "You can use it to buy stuff."


    "What kind of stuff?"


    "You'll see."


    "How do I buy this stuff?"


    "We can't tell you yet, but trust us, it'll be cool!"


     


    [Insert sound of app dropping into Trash]

  • Reply 18 of 18
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    The execution anantksundaram mentions is part of how this app works. It is inherently tied to other companies and other apps. It's a service, so if the service tie in is poor executed then no matter how good the code is within the app it's going to fail because it needs 3rd parties to join in and users benefit from that. The cool shredding effect of passes isn't going to save it.




    Understood. I'm saying, give it more time. It just officially came out.

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