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Apple’s ‘iWallet’ coming this year?

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 · 2:33 pm · 12 Comments

“Apple has been working on a true iPhone based credit/debit card system for years that most call the iWallet,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “Apple has an extensive series of patent pending technologies and methods supporting such a product. The question isn’t if Apple will debut a financial instrument called the iWallet but rather when.”

“Today a new a report out of Canada confirms that the powerhouse group of TELUS, Bell and Rogers under their joint venture of Ensign is set to bring the electronic wallet to Canada big time later this year,” Purcher reports. “Savvy iPhone users in Canada that are up for renewal this year won’t want to miss out on such an important smartphone feature – which begs the question, is this the year that Apple introduces their long awaited iWallet application? “

Read more in the full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Dan K." for the heads up.]

Categories: News

Tags: Apple Inc., Apple Passbook, e-payments, iWallet, mobile payments, Passbook

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Comment Feed

12 Comments

Steven

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 2:56 pm · Reply

Amazing, can it hold digital copies of my birth certificate, social security card, passport, driver’s license, payment cards, and a few pictures, just like my real wallet? That would be amazing, to be able to just carry this around and no physical wallet.
- Paul
  
  Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 3:29 pm · Reply
  
  I have a documents album in my photos of all that stuff that I scanned.
- Golum
  
  Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 3:59 pm · Reply
  
  Yes, I want it to hold the long form of my birth certificate. You never know when you will need that.
Joe

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 3:43 pm · Reply

I used Passbook for the first time at the movies last week and damn if it wasn’t the coolest thing to not stand in line for tickets. So I could see the iwallet’s use of credit and/or debit providing me with quick convenience.

With the loss of a physical credit card, a crook could use it fairly quickly. Even with just a simple password on an iPhone, the loss of your phone would give you more time to halt purchases.

So I’m warming up to the idea.
- mredofcourse
  
  Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 4:31 pm · Reply
  
  I use it all the time for movies. It’s also great at Starbucks, Target and other places where you can put gift cards on it (even if you buy the card yourself). Likewise, I use it for loyalty and discount cards.
  
  I’ve gotten rid of a ton of cards with it.
  
  Here’s the thing, if you know of a business that you have a card for (or customer number or whatever) that isn’t Passbook compatible yet… WRITE TO THEM.
  
  Make sure to be nice when writing. I’ve been doing this and a few times have gotten discounts and gifts just for making the suggestion.
  - Jimmy
    
    Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 3:02 am · Reply
    
    Passbook is a fail. Tried to use it but if doesn’t make any sense. Very unlike Apple.
    - mredofcourse
      
      Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 3:36 am · Reply
      
      @Jimmy,
      
      I’ve heard the confusion from others as well. However, once you get past the first hurdle, it’s really very easy.
      
      Think of it this way…
      
      Passbook does nothing by itself. You need apps that are compatible with Passbook. Start with Fandango, Starbucks, Target, Walgreens, or Valpak. There are others, so try searching for Passbook apps.
      
      With that app, you can do things like buy a movie ticket on Fandango, and then instead of printing it out, or going to a kiosk with your credit card, you can just go strait to the ticket taker and flash your iPhone.
      
      Starbucks… put a gift card on it, you could just buy one yourself, and then when you buy stuff there, just flash your iPhone. The same with Target. I get gift cards all the time, and it’s really nice to now not have to carry them with me.
      
      Airlines are starting to use Passbook as well. Buy the ticket, add to Passbook and just your iPhone when boarding the plane…nothing to print. I love this because I hate worrying about everything I’m traveling with, so not having to worry about a boarding pass is a huge plus.
      
      Walgreens and other loyalty cards… as long as the store has a compatible app… just add them to Passbook and toss the cards. Plus, you can get the bonuses sometimes right in the app itself.
      
      Valpak, I use this when I’m running errands, like get a smog check or car wash or whatever. It knows where I am and I can see the best deals. Boom, add to Passbook and flash the iPhone.
      
      Best of all, Passbook will show the card when you’re at the locations, so not only are you not fumbling through your wallet, you don’t have to search through your iPhone.
      
      Also, part of it not making sense is that it’s going to take a really long time for businesses to adopt and incorporate into their apps. So as a result, for now, you have to search for what you can do instead of just assuming everyone is compatible…but they will be.
- John
  
  Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 12:22 am · Reply
  
  I use Passbook when flying on United (several times a month). Works fairly well. It is supposed to update if the time or gate changes. This happens somewhat slowly, but I think that is due to United’s servers. It is slow even if you try to get that information directly from United.
  
  It is nice because you can use the same display to gain access to the Red Carpet Lounge (if you are a member).
  
  I would absolutely use this more if it were available.
Nerd Beautiful

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 3:58 pm · Reply

Here’s the deal: The next step for Apple is HUGE. It has many different pieces that all have to line up exactly right — next OSX, next iOS, next iPhone, next iTV, next big thing.

THIS IS WHY Steve put SCook in charge of Apple. Not because he could handle keynotes or even see/approve the next-era Apple things. He put him in for one reason only — because Cook’s expertise is managing TONS of disparate pieces and making them all fit perfectly.

Cook is currently managing the integration of all of the above, and I’ll bet it’s taking every ounce of skill he has in that area (and he’s best in class) to do it. It’s why they cleared the slate in the fall of all those new products. It’s why leery-boy was put out.

In the next 12 months they will crush expectations and blow people’s minds with the integrated releases that are coming. I believe this completely. People will say, “how did they manage to make all those moving parts fit just right?” Cook will be the answer, and Jobs, once again, the visionary who saw it before it existed.
- Weekend
  
  Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 9:53 pm · Reply
  
  And Steve was in charge of Next.
  - appleyapple
    
    Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 12:11 am · Reply
    
    Oh NeXT, the software maker that TBL created the WWW on? Thanks again Steve.
    - Weekend
      
      Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 3:11 am · Reply
      
      Si.