Will the UAE adopt Apple’s Passbook as fast as their construction?

Since Apple showcased the Passbook App, a marvelous feature on the new iOS 6. My head immediately started to see it being used in the UAE. First I saw my favorite operator in the UAE “Du” using it as a way to recharge prepaid lines, points redemption, and so many great services Du can add to this platform. Being in the telcom industry that was the first thing i thought of, I even emailed Du’s Chief Strategy Office about the possibilities. Then came to my attention my favorite airlines, of course Emirates Airlines. Turning around from the already known feature of boarding passes, which could take regulators a while to approve, Emirates would bank in on using the feature for its lounges and vouchers, and probably many more services other than Boarding passes. 

Then I started to realize this would be all possible if in the near future, Apple introduces us to the world of NFC and these Passbook tickets could be easily used as a virtual wallet helping companies like the RTA ease the life of the passengers and help the ever growing concern towards the enviroment. Imagine how many RTA cards can be minimized and help conserve the environment. That being said, print and waste is always an issue to people who need to organize events and make sure people enter a concert or facility securely and efficiently, which made me think … ThinkFlash. Here is a very successful entertainment company, putting the UAE and AbuDhabi on the map. Events and Concerts that are ground breaking and spectacular. So your ticket will be purchased via your mobile ( Paid from your Du Account probably ), and placed in the passbook all to be validated by NFC via a single entry electronic gate. The Advantages, fully automated system ensuring efficiency, no paper print of tickets ensuring conservation, and of course on an operational side the reporting and analysis can be measurable accurately to top management

Being the tech geek i am, and my addiction to electronics i could never forget my favorite electronics store in the SharafDG. I usually give gift cards to friends for presents or occasions so that they can get themselves something electronic. What ore can i ask for if i can buy it and have it delivered to my friends passbook app and they get a notification that I just sent them a SharafDG gift card. I hope in the very near future i will get to see this happening in our region and I truly hope we become the benchmark on Passbook, NFC, and so many innovative technologies that are being made.

Last i would like to share with you a scenario of passbook that could happen. Let’s go back in time when the Madonna concert was going to be done in AbuDhabi. You buy your ticket online and it’s going to be placed in your PassBook with 4 additional passes from partners of the event, buying a ticket is not enough for customers and partners involved so your first destination going to the concert is a free lounge voucher from Emirates Airlines in the airport, then you land in the UAE and Du has also placed in your Passbook a 15AED voucher for a Pay as you go SIM. After your SIM purchase, and still in the outbound duty free, you head into a SharafDF kiosk and redeem your 25AED voucher for a memory card, because you know you’ll be taking so many memorable pics. You head outside and you find yourself walking to a RTA bus that is going to the concert. You pull out your phone, click on the free shuttle voucher in your Passbook and tap your phone on the NFC reader. 

Life will be great and business will flourish with Passbook … Trust me 😉