Apple is continuing its rollout of new ways to refill customers' iTunes balance. It is making iTunes Pass available at retail Apple Stores in the United States and Australia after the service was first launched earlier this week in Japan.
The new iTunes Pass feature lets users store iTunes Store credit on a digital gift card in Passbook that can be reloaded in any brick-and-mortar Apple store, allowing use of cash instead of requiring a credit card or gift card. Passbook is an electronic wallet that holds electronic coupon barcodes or boarding passes, letting users scan their Passbook to redeem a coupon or check in for a flight.
Users can now have a barcode scanned in Passbook to have money added to their account. While iTunes Pass probably won't be used by many, it should streamline the buying experience for those who rely a lot on gift cards to purchase content through the iTunes Store.
The Passbook card can also be used as a means of payment at participating businesses, meaning your iTunes money can go to things not necessarily entertainment based.
Apple did say that the "iTunes Pass is not available in Brazil, China and Turkey," which could show the company's continued interest in continuing to push out this service into a number of countries. Germany has also reportedly been added to the iTunes Pass world.
"Now you can add money directly to your iTunes or App Store account with iTunes Pass," Apple says on its website announcing the new service.
"To get iTunes Pass, go to the iTunes Store on your iOS device, scroll down, and tap the Redeem button. Then go in to any Apple Retail Store and let a Specialist know you want to add credit to your account," the company says, showing the simple process a customer goes through to add money.
More countries are expected to get the service in the very near future, as the company continues to push itself into the mobile money sector. Reports also indicate the company is looking to develop a fully functional mobile payments solution that would position it as a leader in the digital payment sector, giving users multiple options for recharging their account and purchasing power.
With bitcoin and online currency becoming more popular, Apple believes that by developing its own digital monetary service, it can begin to enter the sector by connecting with its existing clientele.
