Understanding the Passbook API

With Apple making huge headlines in the news recently, and with its stock price reaching an all time high, many have started to talk about the new iPhone 5 and iOS6.  Passbook is one of the apps for iOS6 that will come out around September 12 along with the new iPhone.  Many people have already begun distributing sample Passbook passes, which all seems very cool.  But when Passbook actually is available for public use, businesses will be wondering how they could start creating and distributing their own passes through Passbook.  This is all possible with the Passbook API.

To begin with, an API represents Application Programming Interface.  In non-techy terms, this interface is a set of codes and languages that allows for other applications, websites, or devices to use another program's functions.  Essentially, the API for a program, app, or software allows another source to interface with it.

To illustrate, let's look at Tumblr.  Tumblr is a website that allows people to post blogs, pictures, videos, and just about anything to personalize their own blog page.  Initially, Tumblr began as a website and solely as a website, meaning users would have to log on to the domain and publish posts from there.  But with the adoption and growing popularity of mobile devices, many want to access these blogs on the go.  Tumblr now has various apps on smartphones and tablet devices so users don't have to go directly to the website to use its services.  This is all possible because Tumblr released its API for developers to create another platform to access all of Tumblr's functions.  This communication from app to domain and back to Tumblr's back end systems is from the API.  

APIs allows for the filtering of programs from one source to another, via apps, software, mobile devices, or web browsers.  The unique feature of APIs is that it is doesn't only allow product A to go through product B.  Developers can build and extend upon the API and create innovative ways to use the product.  They can choose to add additional features to the framework that the API originally sets.  This is why many APIs are unique as developers use it to add more functionality and enhancements.

Going back to Passbook, it's now easier to understand the importance of an API.  Passbook will store digitalized passes in one app.  The channel that allows for people to create Passbook passes, distribute them to users, and update them accordingly is the Passbook API. The proper languages allow for Passbook to communicate with other sources so that users can actually generate passes and have them open and be stored in Passbook.  

So having an understanding of what components are needed to use Passbook for business or personal use is the first step.  The second step is to equip yourself or your business with the right tools and resources so that you can efficiently create, distribute, and manage Passbook passes.  Passk.it is one of those companies that will provide all the aforementioned capabilities.  You can check out their website here and prepare yourself for one of Apple's greatest, game-changing mobile apps of the decade.