Kevin Bostic
Users of Apple's Passbook feature for iOS have a new option for getting tickets, coupons, and more delivered to their devices, as Skycore has launched support for cross-carrier delivery of Passbook passes by MMS.
Pass providers can plug into Skycore's SaaS platform and APIs, allowing for secure transmission of passes to a user's messaging inbox. Those passes can then be transferred to the user's Passbook app. Skycore also allows for mobile-optimized email and mobile landing pages, but the company believes the MMS feature gets content to users faster and more reliably.
The service also allows pass providers to monitor MMS delivery receipts and confirmed installs, which can be helpful in determining the success of a campaign.
Skycore can currently deliver MMS passes to U.S.-based AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers. The service is built to work with Apple's Passbook, but if a customer is on an Android phone, Skycore's MMS device detection can send a message presenting alternative storage options, such as PassWallet for Android.
Launched as a feature within iOS 6, Apple's Passbook feature has seen considerable adoption by a range of service providers. Discover uses the feature to deliver cardholder rewards, American Airlines allows more than a million users to store boarding passes with it, and a number of Major League Baseball stadiums allow users to store tickets in the app.
Other smaller pass providers have used the feature to drive coupon campaigns and drum up new business. Filings from last year indicate that Apple may be looking to integrate Passbook with near-field communications technology in the near future.
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Chip Loder
5 Comments
So far nothing to see, just an API. Seems like a cool way to go -- will be interesting to see who might adopt it.
This only exists because Passbook as it currently stands is a hot mess of confusion that people *want* to use but mostly can't figure out *how* to use, or don't have the time and energy to devote to the task once they know.
[quote name="Gazoobee" url="/t/157686/new-service-delivers-passes-for-apples-passbook-via-text-message#post_2332787"]This only exists because Passbook as it currently stands is a hot mess of confusion that people *want* to use but mostly can't figure out *how* to use, or don't have the time and energy to devote to the task once they know. [/quote] It definitely isn't widely understood but I every day at Starbucks. I'm not sure it's a Starbucks or Apple server change but after a couple months of using it the updates for the balance on my card started coming within 60 seconds. Since I don't get a receipt I can easily just look at the phone to see the updated balance.
The ability to deliver passes by SMS has been in Passbook from start. Other vendors (including us) deliver passes by SMS as a routine thing.
Why is this news?
The ability to deliver passes by SMS has been in Passbook from start. Other vendors (including us) deliver passes by SMS as a routine thing.
Why is this news?
The press release talks about MMS, not SMS.
MMS is a completely different user experience with entirely different benefits to issuers.