User guide

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Reprinted from TidBITS#1232/21-Jul-2014; reuse
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iTunes Pass: How to Buy iTunes Store Credit via Passbook
by Josh Centers
W
e previously reported that Apple was test-
ing the new iTunes Pass service in Japan
(see “Apple Testing iTunes Pass in Japan,”
15 July 2014). The service, which lets you purchase
iTunes Store credit in a retail Apple Store via Pass-
book, is now available in the United States.
With it you’ll be able to load up an iTunes account
with funds you can use to buy iOS and Mac apps,
iTunes music and videos, and books from the iBooks
Store. We see two primary use cases for iTunes Pass,
both revolving around iTunes Store accounts with-
out credit cards already associated.
You could set this up on a child’s iPhone or iPod
touch, then either use that device in an Apple Store
or share its Passbook card with your iPhone (tap the
share icon on the card) so you could add money to it
in an Apple Store without needing the child’s device.
If you refuse to associate a credit card with your
iTunes Store account, iTunes Pass would enable you
to buy iTunes Store credit with cash in an Apple
Store. (More generally, it would be good for cash-ori-
ented cultures, but we suspect most countries with
Apple Stores are well along in credit card adoption.)
To add iTunes Pass to your Passbook app, open the
iTunes Store app on your iPhone or iPod touch (this
won’t work on the iPad, likely because it doesn’t have
the Passbook app), scroll down to the bottom, tap
the Apple ID button, and tap View Account.
Enter your iTunes password, if prompted, then scroll
down and tap Add iTunes Pass to Passbook. You’ll be
presented with the iTunes Pass to verify that it’s been
added.
Now, while in an Apple Store, open the iTunes Pass
card in Passbook, ag down a Specialist, tell her that
you’d like to add credit to your account, and show
her the card on your device. Presumably you’d then
need to pay for the credit with cash or a credit card.
If you want to delete iTunes Pass, open the card in
Passbook, tap the information button in the lower-
right corner of the card, and tap Delete in the upper-
right.