Apple patents offline iTunes purchases using per-device 'credit' system
Apple on Tuesday was awarded a patent for an offline purchasing system that would allow iTunes users to buy music, movies and other media when not connected to the internet.
Source: USPTO
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple U.S. Patent No. 8,417,575 for "On-device offline purchases using credits," which describes a system involving the purchase of offline credits stored on a given device that can be put toward media in the iTunes store even when not connected to the online marketplace.
Currently, iTunes users must be logged in or have an internet connection to successfully purchase and download content from the online storefront, but Tuesday's patent lays the groundwork for a type of "pre-loaded" payment system. Beyond the obvious applications for on-the-go iPod touch users and perhaps frequent travelers, the patent could be a harbinger of new never before seen iTunes functionality.
According to Apple, the proposed service involves media stored on an electronic device, like an iPhone or iPod touch, that is not part of the user's owned library. If a user wants to buy a track, but cannot connect to the Internet to provide a means of payment, they can use pre-paid credits previously purchased through the store and subsequently loaded onto the device. Once a data network is accessed, the appropriate deductions are made to a user's on-board credit allotment.
Users can add credits to their device accounts either through the device itself or what appears to be a specialized portal on the desktop version of iTunes, along with other options. Multiple forms of payment are accepted, including credit cards, bank accounts and other digitally connected assets a user links to their online profile.
iTunes interface.
As noted by the patent, in order to play back a purchased song or movie, a device must first have a copy of said media item, as well as authorization to play back the content. The device can retrieve copies of "unauthorized" media in any number of ways, including recommendations downloaded from the media store. Carrying on with the recommendation example, the device can restrict access to the content in any number of ways until authorization, or a purchase, has been detected. In some instances, the media might be played back at a lower quality, or there could be a limit to how many times a track is played.
The locally-stored media can be displayed in a variety of arrangements, including a layout similar to the existing iTunes iOS app, making browsing and buying new content easy. Once a user makes a selection, they can purchase the locally stored media with the credits they bought in advance, which will remove the restrictions previously imposed on the content. In other words, the authorization and playback transaction would be fully completed offline.
Flowchart of payment system.
The property could be a boon for iTunes users who don't have ready access to the Internet and, if made real, would likely drive sales for the digital music giant. Specific implementations were not thoroughly discussed, though Apple already has iTunes Match, which allows users iCloud access to their entire music collection, even tracks imported from CDs, for a yearly fee. While mere speculation, further cloud computing integration could bring even more tie-ins with the offline purchasing service, such as music sharing or gifting.
It remains unknown if and when Apple plans to roll out the offline crediting functionality, but the device-specific solution could theoretically be implemented with a firmware update as no hardware limitations were described in the patent.
Apple's offline purchasing patent was first filed for in 2010 and credits Taido Nakajima, Tyler Mincey, Gloria Lin and Joey Darragh as its inventors.
Source: USPTO
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple U.S. Patent No. 8,417,575 for "On-device offline purchases using credits," which describes a system involving the purchase of offline credits stored on a given device that can be put toward media in the iTunes store even when not connected to the online marketplace.
Currently, iTunes users must be logged in or have an internet connection to successfully purchase and download content from the online storefront, but Tuesday's patent lays the groundwork for a type of "pre-loaded" payment system. Beyond the obvious applications for on-the-go iPod touch users and perhaps frequent travelers, the patent could be a harbinger of new never before seen iTunes functionality.
According to Apple, the proposed service involves media stored on an electronic device, like an iPhone or iPod touch, that is not part of the user's owned library. If a user wants to buy a track, but cannot connect to the Internet to provide a means of payment, they can use pre-paid credits previously purchased through the store and subsequently loaded onto the device. Once a data network is accessed, the appropriate deductions are made to a user's on-board credit allotment.
Users can add credits to their device accounts either through the device itself or what appears to be a specialized portal on the desktop version of iTunes, along with other options. Multiple forms of payment are accepted, including credit cards, bank accounts and other digitally connected assets a user links to their online profile.
iTunes interface.
As noted by the patent, in order to play back a purchased song or movie, a device must first have a copy of said media item, as well as authorization to play back the content. The device can retrieve copies of "unauthorized" media in any number of ways, including recommendations downloaded from the media store. Carrying on with the recommendation example, the device can restrict access to the content in any number of ways until authorization, or a purchase, has been detected. In some instances, the media might be played back at a lower quality, or there could be a limit to how many times a track is played.
The locally-stored media can be displayed in a variety of arrangements, including a layout similar to the existing iTunes iOS app, making browsing and buying new content easy. Once a user makes a selection, they can purchase the locally stored media with the credits they bought in advance, which will remove the restrictions previously imposed on the content. In other words, the authorization and playback transaction would be fully completed offline.
Flowchart of payment system.
The property could be a boon for iTunes users who don't have ready access to the Internet and, if made real, would likely drive sales for the digital music giant. Specific implementations were not thoroughly discussed, though Apple already has iTunes Match, which allows users iCloud access to their entire music collection, even tracks imported from CDs, for a yearly fee. While mere speculation, further cloud computing integration could bring even more tie-ins with the offline purchasing service, such as music sharing or gifting.
It remains unknown if and when Apple plans to roll out the offline crediting functionality, but the device-specific solution could theoretically be implemented with a firmware update as no hardware limitations were described in the patent.
Apple's offline purchasing patent was first filed for in 2010 and credits Taido Nakajima, Tyler Mincey, Gloria Lin and Joey Darragh as its inventors.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightknight
Sounds very much like "rent this iTunes track for a month". I no likes it.
Just for comparison:
In 1965, singles were .49 and albums were $3.99-$4.99 - but often on sale.
A teacher made 2.65$ per hour on average. Volkswagen's Beetle was 1770$.
Sirloin steaks were 89 cents per pound.
You could resell your records as you wanted.
Nowadays, an iTunes album is on average 14.99$, but you can't resell it, which heavily reduces its "ownership(sic)" value. Movies are even more badly broken.
I'm afraid to see "offline credit" coming.
An old idea.
It reminds me a tad of Lala's old 10 cents for web streaming only. Perhaps there will be a feature where you can download x number of tracks for offline play, each working for say 30 days. Perhaps even free but restricted to the single device. If you want to keep them for longer you buy them, using this system even if you are offline. Next time you are online it validates ownership and you can use the tracks on all devices etc
When you buy a new iPod it is preloaded with thousands of songs, and you can pay to unlock them without ever connecting to the Internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
When you buy a new iPod it is preloaded with thousands of songs, and you can pay to unlock them without ever connecting to the Internet?
That's what I'm hung up on... how exactly am I supposed to access the content without a data connection? Either the data is pre-loaded, or it's a prepay option to content you can't access until you've established a connection... either way I don't see the benefit.
I'm surprised apple insider didn't post a separate article about that including new fresh speculations and release date info of such a device...
The way this would work is, for example, if two friends - out on a lovely bike ride in the countryside? - discover that one friend has a *super* cool song that the other wants, only, they are not in cell range, or they only have non-cell iPads, etc., so, with this magic little system, *presto*, friend two then buys / transfers and enjoys the song on their iOS device immediately. No internet, or iTunes required for this transfer.
The preloaded "data source" people are scratching their heads wondering about is (are) the iOS devices of friends and family.
Just a thought.
Edit: Ah, forgot to add that OS X 'devices' are obviously also a "data source" in this case.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightknight
Just for comparison:
In 1965, singles were .49 and albums were $3.99-$4.99 - but often on sale.
A teacher made 2.65$ per hour on average. Volkswagen's Beetle was 1770$.
Sirloin steaks were 89 cents per pound.
You could resell your records as you wanted.
Nowadays, an iTunes album is on average 14.99$, but you can't resell it, which heavily reduces its "ownership(sic)" value. Movies are even more badly broken.
I'm afraid to see "offline credit" coming.
You're underestimating inflation rates. The 2012 dollar equivalent of a .49 cent single from 1965 would be $3.52. Likewise, a $3.99 album from 1965 would be $28.66 in 2012 dollars. Prices for entertainment are not actually that high when you adjust for inflation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lightknight
Just for comparison:
In 1965, singles were .49 and albums were $3.99-$4.99 - but often on sale.
A teacher made 2.65$ per hour on average. Volkswagen's Beetle was 1770$.
Sirloin steaks were 89 cents per pound.
You could resell your records as you wanted.
Nowadays, an iTunes album is on average 14.99$, but you can't resell it, which heavily reduces its "ownership(sic)" value. Movies are even more badly broken.
I'm afraid to see "offline credit" coming.
What a load of rot and nonsense. You start off by comparing prices between 1965 and now but then don't follow through.
You also only calculate for the tiny part of the world that you live in. This is meaningless.
Also, iTunes albums are totally not $14.99 "on average".
That's one of the highest prices you can pay for albums which actually average at $9.99.
Vinyl records also varied in price wildly, even new, straight from the store. Despite the fact that many young idiots today will pay enormous amounts for dusty old records that barely play anymore, when they were in their heyday, vinyl records depreciated a great deal from the second they were first out of the wrapper.
You'd be hard pressed to find anyone that wanted a second hand copy of a record when there were new ones to be had from any store in town, because after one scratch they were crap.
My own meaningless statistics:
In 1975, Albums were generally 9.99, 12.99, 14.99, and around 20.00 for a two record set.
In 1985 CD's were generally 9.99, 12.99, 14.99 and around 20.00 for a two record set.
In 2013 ... albums from iTunes are generally 9.99, 12.99, 14.99 and around 20.00 for a two album set.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
The image of that iPhone in this patent appears to have a 5 inch screen. ...
This is just a ridiculous thing to say.
So, the ability to pay for something online without being online. Credit system, OK I get that. However if I'm not online how am I supposed to get the thing I just paid for?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
What a load of rot and nonsense.
Is that necessary?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
This is just a ridiculous thing to say.
And this?
This doesn't sound like a great idea, and it's something that I definitely do not want on any of my devices.
It's not like we're all walking around with 5 Terrabyte iPhones, and I certainly do not want any content preloaded on my devices that I am not able to access, but is just sitting there, taking up valuable space on my device.
I don't live in the jungle or in the middle of nowhere, and if I want to buy something, I'll just connect to the internet and purchase it.
Originally Posted by stelligent
Is that necessary?
And this?
Did you meant to quote the people to whom he was replying?
What if the thing you are buying is not digital and/or not delivered online?
Say, a pair of shoes, a movie ticket, a bagel, gas for your car...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Did you meant to quote the people to whom he was replying?
No. I was questioning the necessity (and utility) of his snarkiness (I'm being kind). Ergo, no need to quote the people he was offending.
"What if the thing you are buying is not digital and/or not delivered online?
Say, a pair of shoes, a movie ticket, a bagel, gas for your car…"
------
Finally, someone who gets it.
iWallet anyone?