Signing up to an annual direct debit payment plan from your energy supplier is supposed to help prevent bill shock as your payments are spread equally throughout the year. But it might not work like that...
Apple's Passbook app: rubbish mobile wallet for your iPhone
Millions of iPhone users on iOS6 now have access to a mobile wallet with Apple’s Passbook app. But it's not very good.
Apple's Passbook app: rubbish mobile wallet for your iPhone
Passbook is a new feature that comes with the latest Apple iOS6 update. Millions of iPhone users will now have the app, which is being heralded as the latest mobile wallet. But if you ask me, Passbook falls a bit short.
How it works
Passbook is designed to securely store and organise most of the stuff that could be cluttering up your wallet, bag or pocket.
Users can store compatible gift cards, loyalty cards, coupons, film tickets and even boarding passes in one place using the app.
So you can pay for your coffee at Starbucks by integrating the store payment card app and have your boarding pass ready for a flight with American Airlines, all using the same programme.
Presently only a few companies have come on board to integrate with Passbook. These include Ticketmaster, Lufthansa, American Airlines, Starbucks, United Airlines, Fandango, Gyft, Target and Live Nation.
So if you don’t have anything to do with these businesses your virtual wallet may feel a bit empty!
Features
Passbook makes the most of geo-location, using time and locality to provide updates or present the appropriate reward card, gift card, coupon, pass or ticket without you needing to search for it.
So if you have integrated your flight tickets with the Passbook you will receive updates like gate changes automatically. Or if you're near a Starbucks store, Passbook will ready your Starbucks Payment Card to pay for your coffee.
It is smart technology we have come to expect from Apple, but something is missing.
Near Field Communication
One feature that technology commentators have noted is missing from Passbook and the new iPhone 5 is Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC technology enables contactless payments using mobiles in thousands of shops by linking a bank account, pre-paid account or credit card to your handset. Instead Apple Passbook uses existing QR codes and barcodes for redemption and access.
Underwhelmed
The Passbook seems great for collating some ad hoc apps but less so for actually paying for things with a credit card, debit card or bank account – which is surely what a mobile wallet is all about.
Even the rumour that American Express could be joining Passbook doesn’t quite live up to expectations. This particular integration is likely to mean you can get real time information about your credit card account, review recent purchases and get access to relevant offers. But you won’t be able to pay for anything.
[SPOTLIGHT]Commentators believe Apple may be hedging its bets to wait for the chaos in the mobile payment industry to settle. If NFC technology prevails, it will involve Apple paying for new hardware. But if NFC fails PayPal might be a cheaper option for Apple.
Verdict
For me the Passbook app falls short of being a complete mobile wallet. I feel the current mix of companies and what their Passbook features offer are missing something.
It seems that the Passbook is just acting as a storeroom for other apps that already allow quick and convenient access or in some cases payment for specific stores. It doesn't appear like something we could use to replace our wallets with just yet. For more on this phenomenon read: Contactless payments: the end for cash?
However, I have no doubt that the Apple Passbook will act as a great platform for more innovation. Plus it will be interesting to see how retailers will redesign existing apps for use in Passbook. Perhaps in time Apple will enter the mobile payments industry or will allow third party mobile payment integrations.
Alternatives
If Passbook is failing to live up to your expectations of a mobile wallet take a look at the alternatives.
Google wallet – an app thatallows users to store debit cards, credit cards, loyalty cards, gift cards and special offers. You can use the information held to shop online and in-store through NFC technology for contactless mobile payments. Google Wallet is available on android phones.
O2 wallet - is an app thatworks like a virtual wallet giving you the option to sync all your cards with your mobile making shopping online even easier. You can also send money messages and compare prices.O2 Wallet is available on iOS, RIM and Android phones. For more read O2 Wallet: send money to friends and shop using your mobile phone.
Orange Quick Tap - enables you to pay for things with your phone in the same way a contactless card works. It works in more than 100,000 UK stores for purchases under £20, but the technology is limited to only a few phones like the Samsung Galaxy SIII.
Barclays Pingit - allows customers to send and receive money through a mobile phone number. It is the first mobile-to-mobile payment service and the app is available on iOS, Android and RIM phones. For more see Barclays launches Pingit mobile-to-mobile payments
What do you think? Have you found the Passbook useful so far? What other updates could make it a better mobile wallet?
More stories on the iPhone:
The cheapest way to get the iPhone 5
Top iPhone apps that save you money
Smartphones are new source of debt worry
related stories on msn
4Comments
01/10/2012 12:20
The fact alone that you're a Microsoft employee passing judgement on an Apple service using words and phrases like 'rubbish' and 'falls a bit short' instantly gives you less credibility.
Passbook isn't a mobile wallet. There is nothing from information given out by Apple that suggests or even says that it is. It's an app to store information (coupons, boarding passes, store cards).
Perhaps next time you should lose the clearly biased view and get yours facts straight before you go and write an absolute **** article.
30/09/2012 18:00
"Millions of iPhone users will now have the app, which is being heralded as the latest mobile wallet."
Apple states: "Your boarding passes, cinema tickets, vouchers, loyalty cards and more are now all in one place."
You say "I feel the current mix of companies and what their Passbook features offer are missing something." but as i recall, iOS 6 was only released just over a week ago. You expect everybody to have support for Passbook in a week?
Whoever wrote this is an absolute **** and I don't understand how this was allowed to be published. He should be fired, and should have his keyboard taken away from him. Utter tripe.
30/09/2012 18:00
"Millions of iPhone users will now have the app, which is being heralded as the latest mobile wallet."
Apple states: "Your boarding passes, cinema tickets, vouchers, loyalty cards and more are now all in one place."
You as "I feel the current mix of companies and what their Passbook features offer are missing something." but as i recall, iOS 6 was only released just over a week ago. You expect everybody to have support for Passbook in a week?
Whoever wrote this is an absolute **** and I don't understand how this was allowed to be published. He should be fired, and should have his keyboard taken away from him. Utter tripe.
19/10/2012 15:38
Most of your article seems to imply the passbook is a fail because there are not enough companies already on board. ios 6 is just what 3-4 wks old?
Thats like saying android was a fail because at the start it only had a couple of hundred apps in the android market compared to the thousands in the app store. Android has proven itself by now to have just as much diversity. Although my main reason why i switched from android to apple after I got the ipad 2 is there is a tad less rubbish on the app store. Both platforms annoy me these days though of in-app purchases though but thats a different matter.
I see definite future in the passbook. My wallet is bulging from passes and i sometimes leave passes home with the result of not getting my discount at some places. I now have like 3 smudged subway stamp cards which arent all full and i lost some on the way.. I could have gotten like 4 6inch subs for free by now if i didnt lose my stamps and or stamp cards. The same with the dutch Baker Bart. I tried to find Baker Bart at one of his bakeries and twist his arm about this, but no matter to which Baker Bart I went they could never tell me where Bart was hanging out. The dude aint listed either.. If you are reading this Bart! Give me a passbook! :p
You can make your own passbook cards at the moment. So a bonus card for your supermarket is easily made. The problem now is that not all scanners work at this moment. When all scanners can "read" the barcodes instead of laserscanning it you can throw away (or desk them) all your plastic cards.
I see much potential in the long run. Like all new features it takes time. Although I notice that with apple features companies jump aboard sooner than with other brands. This might be a biased opinion. I honestly have not done my research of late with for instance NFC.
Report
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
latest money videos
more on msn money
The iconic Cotchford Farm in East Sussex goes up for sale for £2 million.
We look at which option will bag you a nicer home in a better neighbourhood.
Whether you have credit card debts or an overdraft or a stack of store credit, you can get back in the black for very little cost.
Because the sun has to shine eventually...
Nearly half of UK households say that they would struggle to cope if their monthly outgoings rose by £99. We look at how you can create some financial 'breathing space' to help you out if you lose your job or become ill.
Avoid these mistakes if you want to lead a richer life!
Save regularly to nab a leading easy access ISA rate from Newcastle Building Society and the chance to earn up to £1,000 cashback.
Barclaycard is now offering a record 27 interest-free months to pay off your debts.
The taxman says three and a half million people are due a refund, but two million will have to fork out for underpaid tax.
Fed up with low savings rates and high borrowing rates? As Dave Fishwick and his Bank of Dave has demonstrated, there are other options out there.
If you want to find a unique property bargain, there is plenty of help available online - you just need to know where to look.
