Apple’s “Passbook was initially launched in September of 2012,” Mobile Commerce News reports. “The application is designed to turn an iOS device into a digital wallet, storing a wide variety of data and making this information accessible to users in an efficient manner. Passbook can store electronic tickets for travel and entertainment events as well as loyalty rewards from retailers and reservations from restaurants. The application is capable of scanning 2D barcodes, such as QR codes, and can take advantage of a variety of location-based services.”
“One of the most notable, yet largely ignored, features of Passbook is its ability to process mobile payments. The application supports online shopping and in-store payment services through PassKit,” Mobile Commerce News reports. “Through this service, Passbook can initiate mobile payments by scanning a code or being fed information from a payment terminal through a USB connection. The transaction is authenticated through the PassKit database, allowing Passbook to determine whether payment is being issued to a legitimate business or not. The application also provides users with the ability to customize their payment options based on the stores they visit.”
Mobile Commerce News reports, “Apple has made no effort to shroud its mobile commerce efforts in secrecy, but few people seem to realize that Passbook is actually a mobile commerce platform.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: By now, we’ve enjoyed the convenience of Apple’s Passbook too many times to count.
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