Comments on: How local businesses and Apple’s Passbook could deliver an unbeatable iWallet

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 04:00:46 +0000

A full functioning iWallet is going to happen in the future. They’re being smart about it now: testing the mobile market industry by first introducing Passbook. Eventually, when consumers accept it, then I think they’ll start adding more payment features so that Passbook would be a digital wallet.

I’ve written an article about how Passbook could impact other e-wallets. I would appreciate any feedback.
http://passbookready.com/apples-ios-6-passbook-app-impact-electronic-wallets/

By: Nerd Beautiful

Nerd Beautiful — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:54:39 +0000

Agreed. When I pay I tap the category of the transaction and it now not only pays through me, but awesomely enables accounting by mere mortals. I’ll be able to set monthly limits on eating out, gym, coffee, presents, etc and I’ll be able to monitor how I’m doing to stay in budget. And it’ll just work, without much from me. That’s when I bid usaa adieu for banking. Seriously, has banking changed at all in decades? Ripe for disruption, I say.

By: RastaMouse

RastaMouse — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:05:05 +0000

I want Apple to start getting involved in banking. They’ve got the money, the technology and most importantly they’ve got the ethics to be a truly amazing financial institution.

Get rid of our current crop of shitty banks and have The Bank of Apple™

By: disposableidentity

disposableidentity — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 13:41:27 +0000

Dont need barcodes anyway. If the merchant has an Apple system as their POS, or tied into their POS, there’s no need for NFC or scanning. The App talks to the server/cloud, it sends a message which says “this guy here paid for the thing you’re both staring at in the counter”, and the sale is done.

By: disposableidentity

disposableidentity — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:24:46 +0000

And with all of those small & medium businesses using it, Apple is another step closer to offering search/Siri ad services like AdWords. The difference is AdWords can only track conversions for online payments, Apple will track conversions at bricks & morter transactions too.

By: mark briton

mark briton — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:18:27 +0000

Problem is bar code scanning from an iPhone screen doesn’t work with a lot of bar code scanners, especially the omni-directional type used in supermarkets, because the iPhone’s screen is too reflective. UK supermarkets like Tesco and Sainaburys initially offered a bar code in their app that could be used as your loyalty card, but then removed this feature because the barcodes couldn’t be reliably scanned.

By: Martin Lockett

Martin Lockett — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:10:54 +0000

An attraction for me is to have receipts for everything I’ve purchased in one place. Well, maybe two places as I’ll also use a business account.

By: Bizlaw

Bizlaw — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 04:44:44 +0000

Apple doesn’t even need Bluetooth. Just look at the Starbucks app — almost all small and local businesses have a bar code reader. Just have the iPhone generate a specific bar code for your debit card, credit card, gift card, etc. and scan your iPhone. No need for the business to buy any new hardware, because most of them don’t have Bluetooth right now anyway. Plus, this avoids having to add NFC chips to an iPhone (and taking up valuable battery space), plus deal with changes in technology, legacy operability, and the various software programs undoubtedly being developed or in place for NFC thus far.

By: Ballmer's left nut

Ballmer's left nut — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:40:30 +0000

Hehehehehe….

By: DMac

DMac — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:49:14 +0000

Androidis definitely a POS device…

By: philtag

philtag — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:50:54 +0000

I’ve been waiting a long time for Apple to release a fully-functioning, simple, comprehensive warehouse-to-counter/online POS system and I think it’s now taking shape. A number of mac-based POS systems are out there but nothing is really head & shoulders above MS-based systems. This might be where Apple takes over Main Street as THE in-store system of choice – and that market is HUGE!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:42:20 +0000

Ditto! You summed up how I believe apple will dominate the iWallet/e-Wallet market also…

By: Jeff II

Jeff II — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:37:23 +0000

You know, I think you’re on to something. I think I’ve been reading a lot of articles touting NFC as a POS device and how Android will blow Apple away with its use of NFC wallets.

But I think you’ve hit the nail on the head in that BT is so much less expensive to implement at the cash register and is already standard on many mobile devices beyond even Apple’s.

This looks like classic Apple: Taking its time to observe, to figure out the best option, to explore the best engineering designs, and to eventually market something that both customers and retailers would find easy and inexpensive to use.

By: MizuInOz

MizuInOz — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:33:56 +0000

You read my mind on that one. Well said. Thanks.

By: Gregg Thurman

Gregg Thurman — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:10:13 +0000

Apple won’t use NFC, it has tens of millions of Bluetooth 4.0 equipped mobile devices already in place. It will take NFC far to long to hit the critical mass required to make the ‘standard’. Beyond that NFC requires specialized hardware (cost center), that Bluetooth will not.

NFC is DOA.

By: Gregg Thurman

Gregg Thurman — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 22:05:24 +0000

When it comes to new technologies, Apple’s practice is to make various pieces of it available as either a stand alone product, or as a feature in something else. In this way they familiarize the buying public passively, preparing them for the launch of something entirely “new”.

Apple’s iWallet has been used in its own Stores (in various technology/configurations) for some time. When the kinks are finally worked out the iWallet Apple will release it, along with a vibrant ecosystem to support. Many will adopt it simply because of Apple’s reputation for developing products that work, are easy to use, and look smart. Many more will try Apple’s solution simply because the solution they are using is cumbersome and doesn’t work reliably.

Bottom line is that within two or three years after entering the market, Apple’s iWallet will dominate its sector.

It will be just another aspect of the ecosystem that Apple has built. An ecosystem where everything just works, does it seamlessly with all other Apple products, and increases the collective value of the whole.

By: Djmindblender

Djmindblender — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 21:55:52 +0000

Why do mom and pop stores need a fancy POS system anymore when you can just use an Iphone or Ipad to do the whole process pit a card scanner case around the phone or in the earphone jack, locked cash drawer. Done! Now just imagine NFC touch iphone to iphone done.