Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Rumors, Software, Apple, iPhone
Apple patent reveals plans for more iPhone wifi purchases
I'd just like to say that I called it. Way back earlier this year when Apple first announced that you'd be able to use your iPhone to buy iTunes songs at Starbucks, I commented that this was only the beginning, and now Forbes publishes news about a patent that confirms exactly that: Apple is working on other ways to sell downloads (and even merchandise) on the spot to iPhone users.Imagine being at the movie theater, really liking the film's soundtrack, and having the ability to buy it on your iPhone with a click. Or ordering your latte from your seat at the internet cafe. Or hitting a button to buy something with your credit card at an electronics store, and then having it waiting at the entrance when you leave.
All of these things are possible, providing that a) companies are willing to install the infrastructure in the store, and b) Apple is willing to create the software for the iPhone. Given the prices involved, it'll obviously only start with large chains-- you won't be able to walk into your neighborhood grocery store and do it right away. But there is money to be made here, and if Apple can find common ground with retailers we'll see the Starbucks deal happen in more places for sure.
[Via Macrumors.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jon said 1:41PM on 12-28-2007
Now if only they'd let you select style and purchase condoms at the store without having to ask the dude behind to counter!!!
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Michael Rose said 1:59PM on 12-28-2007
That's one way to avoid iBarassment.
Frank said 1:50PM on 12-28-2007
not to take away from your prediction, but, uh, *of course* that's where they were headed. apple is not run by fools!
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Sameer said 2:35PM on 12-28-2007
how long until Belkin starts selling a barcode reader accessory for the iPod Touch/iPhone? :)
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Will said 3:20PM on 12-28-2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/business/01code.html
Who needs an accessory?
jonas.wisser said 2:50PM on 12-28-2007
Frank's comment is interesting to me simply because no one is doing this yet in the States. Yeah, this may seem like an "of COURSE" moment to us, but the fact remains that no one was doing this before Apple. In other words, the reasons this seems like an "of COURSE" moment is that it seems like a good idea that someone should have been doing already.
Of course, we're all a little behind Japan, where you can already buy things with your cell phone. So this will be a nice game of catch-up, if it works.
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frank said 2:59PM on 12-28-2007
This is something I blogged 3 months ago, there is a big big big possibility for apple to expand its mobile business outside computing...
read my post here: http://whataboutmac.com/index.php/2007/09/15/ipod-touch-in-steroid-ipod-doing-business/
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Kevin Rosario said 5:09PM on 12-28-2007
Well... Microsoft is kinda trying the same thing with their multi touch desk shishkabob. I guess it'll come down to who can drive down prices to implement the technology in the stores. As soon as the momma-poppa shops carry the tech of whom ever, BLAMO! you have a win!
Just stating the obvious, but my comment counts too!
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lrd said 6:06PM on 12-28-2007
What I'd like to see is a 3G iPhone that connects wirelessly to your Mac/PC and is able to tap into your iTune content and stream the desired content to your iPhone. This would make your computer bascially a multi-media server capable of streaming your content to anyone you grant access to. This may also allow the iPhone to be a thin client and minimize the storage requirements; allowing for the 3G and maybe 4G implementation.
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Jason Dunham said 6:46PM on 12-28-2007
You can already stream music from your Mac to your iPhone with a 3rd party application from Simplify Media. Of course this requires you to jailbreak your iPhone, so you may not want to do this, but it is possible. Here is the link to an article that explains this in more detail: http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2007/12/11/simple-music-streaming-from-mac-or-pc-to-iphone/
chewbee said 10:05AM on 12-29-2007
Imagine buying something at an electronics store with your iPhone, walking up to the counter, standing in line, reminding the clerk what you bought, waiting for them to bring it to the counter, waiting, waiting, then realizing oh man, I could have carried the item over here myself, from the self, and bought the damn thing already.
But I do think iPhone purchasing is a really cool idea. It's just not going to be any big deal *from inside the store you're already standing in.*
This would be better:
Pass any barcoded item in front of the iPhone camera and up pops a listing of every place that item is for sale within your neighborhood, with price comparisons, and internet stores too? That's going to be nice.
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John Blackburn said 12:13PM on 12-29-2007
But how will payments be handled? I address some of these issues on Watching Apple at http://watchingapple.com/2007/12/wireless-transactions-and-apples-pos-patent/.
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