iTunes Pass available in US, UK without good reason to use it

Apple has made iTunes Pass available to a wider audience. The service, previously only available in Japan, has come to the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and Australia. The US and Australia are the only countries officially listed, but users are reporting they're available in other territories as well.

The iTunes Pass is a bit redundant, but has a few interesting use cases. To take advantage, users simply need to click "Redeem" in the iTunes app. Once an iTunes gift card is redeemed, a Passbook card will appear, showing your available credit. If that option is unavailable, a quick search for "iTunes" in the App Store will bring up the corresponding feature for you.

Those with a valid credit card tied to their iTunes account will find this a bit cumbersome an option, as it simply manages your spending for you via Passbook. To load it, you have to go into an Apple Store and ask a store employee to load funds on your card for you — there is a QR code that needs scanning in Passbook.

Right now, iTunes Pass seems a bit silly, but it may end up being the start of something more for Apple. If this ends up giving users the ability to transfer gift cards electronically, then we've got something. Right now, there isn't much use for this, but controlling spending might end up being handy for parents.

Via: 9to5Mac