AppleInsider Staff
After rolling out the service in a pilot test last week, Apple late Wednesday made iTunes Pass available at Apple Stores across the U.S. and Australia, allowing customers to recharge their iTunes account balance in-store via a Passbook card.
As noted on Apple's respective U.S. and Australian webpages concerning iTunes gift cards, customers in those countries can now use iTunes Pass to refill their iTunes account balance at brick-and-mortar Apple Stores. The iTunes Pass program first debuted in Japan on Monday.
Apple's new iTunes Pass service is a Passbook-based system in which customers can add funds to a digital iTunes card by paying an Apple specialist in person, rather than using a credit card or buying and scanning iTunes gift cards. The procedure is a reversal of normal Passbook operation, which has customers refill an account balance tied to Passbook card that can then be used for redemption at participating businesses.
Like the Japan rollout, Apple notes "iTunes Pass is not available in Brazil, China and Turkey," suggesting the company is looking to introduce the feature to other countries soon.
Apple introduced Passbook in iOS 6 to store digital assets like gift cards, coupons and boarding passes. Users can download and store cards linked to digital accounts from participating retailers and businesses like the Apple Store, Starbucks and United Airlines.
Update: Apple's iTunes Pass rollout continues and is now active in Germany.
Chip Loder
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Andrew Orr
9 Comments
I must be missing something. It seems very convoluted. Someone explain - why is this brilliant?
It's just news it might be convenient for some people !
[quote name="paxman" url="/t/181393/apple-rolls-out-itunes-pass-to-us-and-australian-customers#post_2565255"]I must be missing something. It seems very convoluted. Someone explain - why is this brilliant?[/quote] It will be more useful if I can use it to refill my sons iTunes account using my iPhone camera. Something like this.. I open iTunes on my iPhone then tap a button to input the amount (authenticate using Touch ID) and open the camera to scan the passbook pass to transfer credit.
It would only be used for the passbook partner retailers like airlines, airlines, Home Depot, airlines, Starbucks & airlines? :( Digital wallet? Guess I'll just have to scotch tape my Visa card to the back of my iPhone
I don't really see the use case. Adults will just tie their credit card to their iTunes account and never bother with passes of any sort. Young people will just buy iTunes gift cards, and typically wait until they're on special.
Maybe Apple intends to replace iTunes gift cards with this paperless solution over time.