Apple Gets with the Program by Developing an E-ticket System

[Michael Essany]

The flurry of patents coming down the line from Apple is providing interesting insights into what Cupertino has on the horizon for developing new platforms, services, and functions for the ubiquitous mobile devices that may already exert more influence on our lives than we presently realize. And, while Apple is usually ahead of the tech curve rather than behind it, there is one aspect of burgeoning mobile conveniences that Apple is finally starting to play catch-up with.

Our friends at Patently Apple reveal that Apple is gunning for the electronic concert and event ticket business. A patent application foreshadows a new platform called "Concert Ticket +." While electronic tickets, coupons, and other scanable admission passes are far from groundbreaking, Apple is looking to take a minuscule trend and transform it unto a universally accepted norm.

In a nutshell, "Concert Ticket +" lets you easily, efficiently, and securely buy tickets to a sporting or music event on your iPhone, for example, and then use your iPhone as the eTicket needed to gain admission to the event in question. Taking the platform further, however, the eTicket platform could also potentially be used for purchasing event souvenirs, refreshments, redeeming backstage passes, etc. The possibilities, in effect, are endless. How is this possible? The eTickets, naturally, would work with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

While Patently Apple envisions a time when e-Tickets are used for everything from wedding invitations to amusement park passes, we still have a long way to go before electronic tickets are widely embraced by the public. Of course, we're bound to get there eventually and Apple knows it. Needless to say, that explains why Apple is locking down what it hopes will become the hottest conduit for electronic ticketing in the future.

Image via Patently Apple

[iphone8130hak]

That is sweet

[carolinamic]

Anutha thing that apple is trying to play catch up on.

[waheedtarin]

Imagine a hack for this then free concerts can't wait

[jdys_1991]

Anutha thing that apple is trying to play catch up on.

You should learn to spell, gawwwwwwwwwwwwwwd!

Not a bad idea, once it comes out and is working..

[faschierbasis]

Sounds good!!

[MetallicaFan1991]

Yawn! Another patent article and in which the patent will not come true for the next 10 years.

[Luppin]

Airline companies have been doing this for how long?

[youngbrammer]

Airline companies have been doing this for how long?

Yeah, they had a news segment a few months back about some companies testing it out.

[sziklassy]

I want to see something where credit card or gift card data can be stored on the phone and then just be scanned by some sort of reader. That would be so much more convenient. I know I for one am far more likely to lose my keys or my wallet than my phone!

[mortopher]

I want to see something where credit card or gift card data can be stored on the phone and then just be scanned by some sort of reader. That would be so much more convenient. I know I for one am far more likely to lose my keys or my wallet than my phone!

Japan's had that capability in their cell phone for a few years now. [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FeliCa"]FeliCa[/ame]

[sziklassy]

Japan's had that capability in their cell phone for a few years now. FeliCa

Well then, it's time we get with the times!
I know Starbucks is testing something similar with their iPhone app at a select few stores. Would be wonderful to see this go mainstream. I already don't pay with cash EVER, how nice would it be to not have to carry around credit cards either!?

[tkawika]

Is this similar to the technology in Japan? I believe they use RFID to buy and pay for everything. From my understanding, the iPhone isnt as popular as it could be because it doesnt have this feature. Carriers are giving iPhones away for free in Japan. I think they are CDMA phones too..

[sphangman]

good luck scanning those barcodes, haven't got mine to work yet..

[ceramicwhite]

kind of ridiculous and what if you're iPhone dies before you get to the event. I just got back from coachella and trust id be pissed if i had to carry my iPhone around, i broke mine while i was sweating in the tent(LCD Backlight). Coachella did use wristband with microchips the scanned with blackberry's.

[geenadavis]

Thank you for bringing a well thought out and reasoned comment to the discussion.

List Easy

[airjacobs]

It's sweet. Is this similar to the technology in Japan? I want to see something where credit card data can be stored on the phone and then just be scanned by some sort of reader.