Passbook Proving Popular for Developers and Retailers

[MacRumors]

Passbook was one of the major features to debut in iOS 6, allowing companies to deliver items like tickets, loyalty cards, coupons, and gift cards to a centralized digital wallet for the iPhone and iPod touch. While the feature is a welcome addition that incorporates handy time and location awareness to help users gain access to their Passbook passes when needed, it falls short of a true digital wallet such as could be accomplished with hardware advances like near field communications (NFC).

Despite the limits on Passbook's utility so far, Wired reports that it is proving very popular with developers and retailers, many of whom are seeing significantly increased activity from their users due to the feature.

"We were amazed at the high uptake," Phil Easter, American Airlines' director of mobile apps said. "Apple has allowed an app developer like us is to put features right in front of the user where before, that space was off limits."

The report notes that American Airlines is now seeing 1.5 million active users of Passbook, with 20,000 passes being delivered to flyers every day.

Cosmetics chain Sephora is also seeing strong Passbook adoption among its customers, with 375,000 users having added their rewards cards to the digital wallet app and others taking advantage of digital gift cards through Passbook.

"From a gift card standpoint it's very seamless," Julie Bornstein, senior vice president of Sephora Digital, told Wired. "You can send a gift card to a friend, they accept it, hit a link to add to their Passbook, and then they have their gift card right there." Customers also can scan a code on their conventional gift cards so they can add them to Passbook.

Some users are still experiencing difficulty getting familiar with Passbook, as in many cases they have to download a separate app to access their account with a given company and then push their rewards card, passes, or coupons over to Passbook, a process that isn't always intuitive.

Apple has long been rumored to be interested in integrating NFC technology into the iPhone, with patents and mainstream news sources providing strong evidence for the company's interest in it. But Apple has been taking a "go-slow approach" for the time being, opting to push Passbook as a middle ground while it watches to see how mobile payments evolve over time.

Article Link: Passbook Proving Popular for Developers and Retailers

[Jsameds]

If I'm honest I've never even opened the app, I'm sure it's great in areas where it's more widely supported though.

[prowlmedia]

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.

[macbwizard]

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.

[BvizioN]

Here in the UK the only app i can use with it is Starbucks but i don't particulary like their coffee.

[syd430]

These numbers are pretty surprising.

[Cubeeless]

Passbook app is full of bugs.

[Biscuit411]

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.

[GoCubsGo]

I await the day it takes over Key Ring for me.

[EpicKris]

Originally Posted by prowlmedia

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.

I'm flying with Virgin Airlines in January and apparently if you check in online up to 24 hours before your flight, you're given the option to add a passbook which is sent to you via email. But it does not use its own app. So that's an extra one in the UK.

[Qfic]

Its nice for Fandango, but when its said and done I'm paying 2$ more to use it. So, uh, nope.

[IzzyJG99]

I never use it. I open it up every few weeks to see if any new apps are out that might of use to me, but there aren't any. I feel like Apple should've got more companies onboard before even bothering to include it.

I did use it once for Target. It didn't work. So, yep....

[Jyby]

I don't get peoples affinity towards NFC.... For one bluetooth has the radios to emulate it quite well... Apple just doesn't think its a good idea, period! If they did we'd have it.

What they need to do to make Passbook more popular, is create a passStore!
Not a new app but a way to purchase tickets and such in-app.... Developers submit their scheme and apple handles the data and monetary transaction.

[TheNewDude]

I honestly still don't know how passbook really works...
It's very confusing.

[pnoyblazed]

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

[adildacoolset]

Apple just need to top it off with NFC

[thedeejay]

I find this app useless. Forget passbook. More like Pass Fail

[F1 Fan]

I didn't even know we could use it in the UK at all yet! Now that I do and have seen what's on offer... I still have no use for it.

I want to be able to use it because I think it's a great idea but the take up is poor here so far

[Jyby]

Originally Posted by adildacoolset

Apple just need to top it off with NFC

Bluetooth has 79ish radios that run at 1Mhz
NFC has one radio at 13.5ish Mhz

With software any bluetooth device can become a NFC device

[patseguin]

I've downloaded a few Passbook apps from the store but they just get their own icon on my home screen. They don't get put into Passbook. Am I supposed to drag them onto the passbook icon?

[Boatboy24]

"Some users are still experiencing difficulty getting familiar with Passbook, as in many cases they have to download a separate app to access their account with a given company and then push their rewards card, passes, or coupons over to Passbook, a process that isn't always intuitive."

I've opened it two or three times, became frustrated in seconds, and closed it.

[viacavour]

Originally Posted by patseguin

I've downloaded a few Passbook apps from the store but they just get their own icon on my home screen. They don't get put into Passbook. Am I supposed to drag them onto the passbook icon?

You use them to add Passbook passes to your Passbook app. Passbook passes can also be added via Email or a URL.

[SatManager]

I have used passbook with Target, Starbucks and Livenation and have found it to be very convenient. Target fixed their problem pretty quickly with their scanner app. I would like to see a better way for apple to let us know about new apps that are passbook ready.

If everyone would look at passbook as a storage place for tickets and coupons, it would have a larger audience. Most people don't understand it so they get frustrated and give up and complain that it either doesn't work or isn't worth the time. Passbook will evolve and improve as more use it and app developers find better and new ways to use it.

[spiderman0616]

I use it and actually know quite a few people who love it. But it does need more support. For example, I bought movie tickets today on Fandango and was excited to try it at the theater---unfortunately the theater I'm going to does not support mobile tickets. My local Walgreens, Starbucks, and Target all support Passbook though, and it comes in very handy sometimes.

[^^BIGMac]

So far, pretty useless and seems complicated. Maybe it will catch on in a year or two.