Skycore launches cross-carrier delivery of Apple’s Passbook items by MMS

SkyCore Passbook MMS

Apple’s Passbook reads data from .pkpass files, which can be attached to email messages and embedded on web sites. The system lets Safari and Mail clients running on Mac, iPhone, iPod and iPad devices to automatically import tickets, digital coupons and other items into the Passbook application and sync them across devices via iCloud. That’s all fine and dandy, but what if there was an easier way to share Passbook passes? Thanks to a company called Skycore, Passbook items can be now delivered to users via MMS…

According to a media release, the Skycore cloud and its application programming interface (API) facilitate secure delivery of Passbook passes via MMS. Tapping such a pass embedded in the message automatically imports it into the Passbook application.

The company’s platform currently supports Passbook MMS delivery to the big four U.S. carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.

What’s more, because Passbook is also supported on Android via third-part apps like PassWallet, Skycore can easily deliver Passbook tickets via MMS to Android handsets.

Companies opting for Skycore can monitor MMS delivery receipts and confirmed installs. Additional features include disabling Pass downloads after installation, updating Passes after installation and Pass management with reporting.

Passbook passes

Passbook, now a registered trademark of Apple Inc., launched alongside iOS 6 last September, is slowly but surely gaining traction.

The app acts as a centralized repository for all your digital tickets, loyalty cards, boarding passes and other items and has seen adoption across the airline, retail, real estate and mobile payment industries, theme parkssports and other events, in addition to high-profile brands such as Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Coupons.com and others.

Still, Passbook has to cover lots of ground until it becomes ubiquitous.

Word on the street is that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5S will feature fingerprint sensor integrated into the sapphire crystal capacitive Home button and NFS for wireless device-to-device sharing of Passbook items.

Do you use Passbook at all?