Apple has entered the smartphone wallet business with a new application in iOS 6 called Passbook; a prelude to what might soon become a fully-fledged electronic wallet. With the Apple brand behind it, it is expected that all aspects of mobile payments, ticketing, and discounts will change forever.
Introducing Passbook
On Monday, June 11, 2012 at the Worldwide Development Conference (WWDC), Apple announced it's very own mobile wallet application known as Passbook. Passbook is an iOS 6 app that will be fully integrated into the latest iPhone operating system. Expected to be released sometime in October it's most likely to launch along with the iPhone 5 release. Apple provides an API to enable developers to create, manage and distribute Apple-approved boarding passes, reward cards, gift cards, incentive cards, and more in a single place. In a similar fashion to the iOS Books and Newsstand apps, Apple are providing a native platform that allows business owners to get their business and service offerings in front of iPhone users.
A Beautiful User Interface
Apple's development of Passbook establishes a secure-standard for supporting and organising virtual tickets, store cards, coupons, and offers in the mobile iOS devices. An impressive array of features will appear at the time of the initial launch with a lot more to follow as developers start to integrate the system elsewhere. Prior to its official launch, Apple has already built an existing list of large retailers that wish to integrate the Passbook technology into existing iOS applications, such as Starbucks popular barcode payments app. More small and large businesses are expected to announce how they intend to use Passbook to their advantage closer to the launch date.
Passbook presents a great looking simple-to-use card-style user interface (UI) that updates live as the store cards or passes are used. Apple have taken care of the way that a user, and the business, interacts with the digital Passes. There are certain constraints, like the size of the Pass, or the number of fields allowed, or how the user can choose to be informed etc.. but Apple are attempting to offer a truly open system. An application that can be used by any retailer wishing to offer digital passes. There will also be a rich set of features, including time and location based information, access to prior purchasing history, and access to personal data.
Passes within the Passbook app itself are very attractive. They really feel great to look at and play with. It feels so much more 21st century than a stuffed wallet or purse full of paper and plastic. Each type of pass has a slightly different style that allows the user to quickly find the right one. For example a retail coupon has a serrated edges to graphically illustrate a discount or a movie ticket has a half-circle clipped at the top to illustrate the likeness of a ticket stub.
These Passbook standards and the API suggests Apple are creating their foundation for how they might wish to integrate their technology with Visa, MasterCard or similar payment card processing networks.
Built in Features
Passbook is a fully functioning application, and any business creating and distributing these passes can exploit the Passbook features immediately:
Geolocation
Push Updates
Calendar Updates
Geolocation: The pass will automatically appear when the iPhone user reaches a particular place. When the device is near a retailer, or whatever location the Pass creator chooses, a message appears on the lock screen to alert the user that they have a Pass (perhaps a discount coupon or a loyalty card) that can be redeemed. Not only is this very convenient for the iPhone user but also allows retailers the option to push offers and incentives based on a range of criteria, including that of location.
Examples:
A large chain coffee company delivers their loyalty card via Passbook so that it opens automatically once a user gets close to a particular store. Instant access is given to the barcode system which the user simply scans at the terminal and then they enjoy their cup off coffee. They don't even need to type in their password to unlock the phone.
An electronic store 'pushes' a coupon the instant they arrive at the store; Passbook notifies the shopper of their current balance and the discount available.
A mass transit railway company issue Passbook Passes to display the number of rides or credits available, with a scannable barcode for use at the ticket office.
A ticketing company issues Passbook tickets which will instantly pop up at the time of the concert, and again when the device holder gets close to the venue; building up excitement and maximising audience engagement.
Push Updates: All coupons, cards and tickets come with the ability to dynamically update. Updated information can be instantly pushed to the iPhone lockscreen which then opens up the specific Pass in Passbook. The notice is pushed to the lock screen, the relevant pass then appears and the updated information is circled, with some cool animation; quickly informing the user what's changed.
Examples:
An airline issues Passbook boarding passes. In the last hour they need to change departure gate, so push an update to all the Passbook boarding pass holders who quickly receive the updated notification and the Boarding Pass is automatically updated.
A large retail store, issues it's loyalty cards via Passbook. When someone spends over a certain amount and they move to 'Platinum status', Passbook provides them a little 'congratulation update' and the Pass Image changes colour to indicate their new status.
Integration with Calendar and Reminders: The Pass can be tagged with a certain date and time. If activated, the reminder can appear in the user's iOS calendar. At the appropriate time the reminder will appear on the user's device and the can immediately go straight to the relevant Pass in Passbook.
Examples:
An airline ticket is purchased with date exclusions and alerts are sent to the Pass owner when an available open date presents itself.
Someone sends his birthday invites via Passbook and using the calendar invite feature the app will allow event tickets to be pushed on to friends to accept and attend.
By combining Geolocation, Live updates and the Reminder functionality the end user can look forward to a wonderfully rich experience. And thanks to Apple's ingenuity, the user won't be annoyed by the little things that could ruin the experience. For example the screen doesn't rotate when a Pass is open; so unlike when using Safari, Passbook keeps your barcode in one orientation. Also, the screen remains lit when a Pass is open; nothing would be more annoying than trying to scan your pass and the screen saver comes on! Using Passbook is a truly engaging, exciting, convenient and useful experience. So much more fun than old paper tickets, or plastic membership cards that clog up wallets.
As Apple offers advanced functionality, and developers get to integrate more impressive options, the Passbook platform will end up a spectacular system for store cards, tickets, and payment innovations.
Bar Codes
Initially Apple is introducing Passbook with the integration of 2D bar codes. This simple bar code facility allows the user to redeem the voucher and allows the retailer to confirm the validity of the Pass. Apple chose 2D bar codes, instead of the older 1D bar codes, as there were some problems with scanners recognizing 1D barcodes on an LED screen. The Pass creator can choose to generate a 2 Bar Code in any of the most popular formats; Aztec, PDF147 or QR Code.
Near Field Communication (NFC)
Despite much speculation, it doesn't look like Apple will launch Passbook with NFC (Near-field communication) integration although longer term there seems to be light doubt that this upgrade in hardware is on its way.
When NFC is released in a next generation of Apple iPhones it will offer the ability to integrate much better with retailers existing payment processing systems. NFC systems are at present being installed at many retailers (mostly larger establishments) as part of MasterCard's and Visa's mandate on having a high volume of NFC and EMV transactions by the year 2014. Apple are expected to be at the front of the cue with the NFC technology once its integrated into the iOS as more of the NFC payments systems become available at merchants.
Payment Integration
It's just a matter of time before Apple put its full weight behind the Passbook app to integrate payment card facilities. Although, given the regulation and the general complexity of the payment space, we can't see Passbook fully substituting existing payment cards (MasterCard and Visa), but rather combine the use of both of these services.
Apple is wisely implementing a wallet app that works with existing infrastructure, rather than against. A lot of companies have tried to completely transform the mobile payment space while ignoring the incredible weight and power of the companies they were trying to do battle with; namely the banks and credit card companies. With Passbook, Apple is clever to keep these guys onside by working with them and not against. Passbook is ultimately a platform for innovation allowing any company to easily be part of the mobile payments space, without having to heavily invest in their own wallet application.
Business Opportunity
Passbook is expected to have a direct impact on all businesses involved in payments, loyalty cards, store cards, gift cards, ticketing (airlines, trains, etc.), and incentive cards. Getting ready for Passbook now couldn't be anymore obvious for small or large business alike. History has shown us that anyone aligning themselves with the Apple eco-system benefits massively. You only have to think about how many people are going to be rushing to the store for a new iPhone 5.0 and when they want to fill their empty Passbook, where are they going to turn?
In a similar fashion to the app store, Apple aims to seed 1000s of new ideas and start-ups. Companies that are already working to learn this technology will be the first to announce and benefit from this new eco-system. If you have ambitions for developing spectacular wallet ideas, then Passbook is a perfect platform for your creativity. Businesses don't have to overly invest in a standalone application or try to solve all the interface challenges that Apple has worked out for them.
Apple has a long standing history of shifting the direction of a companies business plans, even the most successful ones. Passbook has the potential to make dozens of products irrelevant or redundant in the near future.
Some critics have suggested that Passbook is just a basic wallet application and not a required addition to the iOS. And it seems these people are ignoring the true opportunity. History will show that the introduction of Passbook all aspects of mobile payments, ticketing, and discounts will change forever. Time to get on board.
Paul Tomes invites you to use the PassKit API for free.
You can experience Passbook for yourself by downloading sample passes onto your iOS6 iPhone. You can push updates to the lockscreen using the PassKit API. And you can create passes, design passes and even distribute passes using the Passbook API, PassKit.
To access the PassK.it API simply visit sample Passbook passes now and download the free Starbucks Pass sample.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7191882
I found the very useful information. iOS 6 Passbook isn't meant to be a fashion statement, its meant to be Apple's dive into digital wallets.
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