Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

viacavour

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2012
636
0
UK has 5 Apps... whooo.

Starbucks
iHotel
United Airlines
American Airline
Lufthansa

Odeon cinema did a one hit thing from their site for a free ticket... the only time I used it.


*edit* - http://www.odeon.co.uk/film30/ Oddly and pointlessly still there - ran out in October.

London Heathrow Airport is supposed to have some sort of Passbook integration with their WorldPoint loyalty system.
 

Cougarcat

macrumors 604
Sep 19, 2003
7,766
2,553
Still waiting on Southwest...

Oh wait, they don't even offer normal mobile boarding passes...
 

Dur

macrumors newbie
Aug 6, 2012
14
0
Wisconsin
I just used this app to redeem two target giftcards from shopkick! It saved my virtual gift cards to my passbook and the cashier had no problem scanning them off my iphone! It was so easy! Wish I could pay that way all the time.
 

viacavour

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2012
636
0
I wanted to like/use it, but there weren't enough retailers for me to be interested. The Starbucks card was nice, but anything else I tried to use (like Target) had me download a separate app first. I'm sure Passbook will be more useful in the future, but I'm tired of Apple putting out half-baked ideas.

There are many Passbook apps now: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passbook_(application)
Just yesterday I found about 10-12 more Passbook apps worldwide, all not on that list.

The basic concept does need some refinement but it's usable now. I use it to order Pizza, and other discounted goods.
 
Last edited:

mig0

macrumors member
Nov 24, 2012
58
15
Didnt realize target and walgreens supported this but I don't shop at walgreens and for target, does that mean a target credit card can be used (which I lack anyway?)

That's essentially the problem. It needs more support from retailers or stores like all those grocery stores or any sort of rewards programs (cough best buy rewardzone, gamestop, cough) with cards.
 

pnoyblazed

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2008
986
403
also, did you guys notice that American Express can be added to Passbook? Then again, who would want Passbook to display your outstanding balance? :p
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
I recently tried this with the Starbucks app, and it worked. However, I found out I couldn't refill my card or check my rewards balance on it so I ended up just reverting back to the Starbucks app.

Gimmick at best IMO

It worked the way it is meant to. That said I waiver back and forth on the idea of whether passbook should be more like a 'newsstand' shopping apps. Auto congregation in their own folder etc.
 

32KFJ

macrumors regular
May 28, 2012
117
11
Austria
here in austria the only passbook apps which can be used are lufthansa and sixt...

i think apple is getting a little bit too "only-for-american/UK-users".

with itunes and siri its the same. i'm afraid that the TV from apple will be useless for most little european countries.
 

addictive

macrumors 6502
Jul 6, 2008
369
356
I downloaded the American Airlines app when i took seven domestic flights while in the U.S. last month. Really useful to have the boarding pass on the lock screen as your flight approaches. The electronic boarding pass was scanned each time without problem.

British Airways are going to add this to their app in the near term.

Looking forward to more companies using the great functionality of passbook.

but what is the future for passbook, will it get better with NFC? discuss?
 

viacavour

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2012
636
0
Didnt realize target and walgreens supported this but I don't shop at walgreens and for target, does that mean a target credit card can be used (which I lack anyway?)

That's essentially the problem. It needs more support from retailers or stores like all those grocery stores or any sort of rewards programs (cough best buy rewardzone, gamestop, cough) with cards.

It depends. Many Passbook deals don't need any retailer account. Easiest way to get started is via the deal aggregators. E.g., Apps from Valpak, Money Mailer, coupons.com

The credit card issuers may also have Passbook support for loyalty point redemption. E.g., Discover card, DBS card. AMEX has an interesting Passbook app for you to review all your transactions but doesn't offer a redemption mechanism yet.

And then there's your favorite stores' loyalty program. E.g. Starbucks, Target. Or gift cards. E.g., Apple Store, Gyft.

It's still somewhat confusing but the support is definitely there. I think besides the "Add to Passbook" button, Apple should add a Passbook passes browser to promote Passbook solutions.
 
Last edited:

mjtomlin

Guest
Jan 19, 2002
384
0
"they have to download a separate app to access their account with a given company"

This is how ecosystems and platforms are built.

Steve Jobs once said they made a big mistake about IBM's entry into the PC market... He said they had a horrible product, but didn't take into account all the other companies that had an invested interest in seeing IBM succeed.

It is why iOS is the most viable mobile platform and why it will remain so. There are too many consumers, developers, companies that have/need iOS. The more partnerships you form, the stronger and more stable the platform becomes.
 

loyaltydude

macrumors newbie
Dec 20, 2012
1
0
Passbook is great!

Not sure where all this negative Passbook vibe is coming from?, :apple:Fans? Passbook is really cool, it's just a little ahead of it's time. I've seen small businesses start to use Passbook like this coffee shop in MD... http://www.pixiepass.com/get/riseupcoffee. You can create your card or register on the fly. Totally tied into the merchant's systems and iPad. I think those rascals at StickyStreet are behind this...

Passbook will succeed. Especially when it can access the device's camera for real-time coupon scanning and points earning.
 

viacavour

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2012
636
0
"they have to download a separate app to access their account with a given company"

This is how ecosystems and platforms are built.

Steve Jobs once said they made a big mistake about IBM's entry into the PC market... He said they had a horrible product, but didn't take into account all the other companies that had an invested interest in seeing IBM succeed.

It is why iOS is the most viable mobile platform and why it will remain so. There are too many consumers, developers, companies that have/need iOS. The more partnerships you form, the stronger and more stable the platform becomes.

Most Passbook solutions require an app download, but the Passbook system does not required an app. Businesses can deliver Passbook passes as Email attachments or URLs too. All passes will then show up in the Passbook app.
 

Carmenia83

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2012
375
499
I think it was another great idea with a poor execution. For the apps and businesses that support it, it works great. Unfortunately, the opportunities are few and far between. Apple should have let more companies behind the curtain so they had something to offer at launch.
 

ballgeoff

macrumors newbie
Feb 28, 2011
25
10
Chicago, IL
Hopeful...

I really want to use this app as it appears it has promise. But like many others have expressed, it's app selection is very limited. I currently plan on trying out the Starbucks app, but I'd like to see things like Southwest Airlines and Subway, etc. :rolleyes:
 

Daalseth

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2012
599
306
Seems OK but

Not terribly useful for me. YMMV of course but I don't need to fly, Target and Wallgreens aren't in Canada and I don't drink coffee so I never go to Starbucks. Others might find it useful but for now it's staying in my Retired Apps folder. I'll check it every six months or so but for now it's just a placeholder.

I do want to comment on one thing. Apple used to be known for intuitive designs. How something works used to be obvious, witness the 3 year old I saw on YouTube that 'got' how to work an iPad in a few seconds. Passbook is clearly not in this league. You open it and get a screen saying how it's the best way to get this that and the other but no indication how. There's a button at the bottom for the AppStore but I don't want to go to the AppStore, I want to get the tickets and coupons you talked about. How about a couple lines of text explaining how this works? How about instead of an AppStore button if the big colored icons for Boarding Passes, Coupons, Store Cards, and Tickets were buttons that took you to the part of the store where these things are? That's where I tried to click at first.

It's a fine idea but Passbook was rolled out half baked, much like the Maps app.
 

TallManNY

macrumors 601
Nov 5, 2007
4,741
1,594
Still waiting for Delta Airlines to finally update their app to include passbook functionality. It's funny because they were one of the major demos at the announcement.

Ahh, is that what is going on. I was wondering why Delta is in the picture but not in my passbook and I've got a flight next week. I was thinking maybe they don't issue the boarding pass until closer to the flight.

So far the only passbook I've used in for Starbucks. I do like it though and I have high hopes for it.
 

viacavour

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2012
636
0
I really want to use this app as it appears it has promise. But like many others have expressed, it's app selection is very limited. I currently plan on trying out the Starbucks app, but I'd like to see things like Southwest Airlines and Subway, etc. :rolleyes:

Check out the wiki link I posted above. You will find that many retailers are already onboard via the deal aggregators.

Subway has a small Passbook pilot in Hong Kong. But I remember seeing a Subway coupon in one of the US discount aggregator apps. See my posts above.
 

Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,097
923
In my imagination
I'd really like to see Apple really compete with technology like NFC. I don't fully know what Apple wants to do with Passbook (because it's not really a digital wallet) but I think they could offer a solid alternative.
 

Risco

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2010
1,947
262
United Kingdom
Totally useless in the UK for the mainstream. I am not a frequent flyer, nor a Starbucks fan so there is nothing else for me to use it for. If and when UK retailers such as Game, Tesco, Sainsburys etc. start adopting then I might find practicality in it. As it stands, I open it every now again just to see if there are any new apps...
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.