Apple Wallet was designed to allow users to easily place payment options like credit cards, debit cards, and gift cards alongside tickets and passes from companies like Fandango and EventBrite. However, Politico Europe has decided to try to use the app to deliver news to its readers, reports NiemanLab (via AppleInsider).

applewalletpolitico

As a part of its coverage of the EU Referendum [next week's nationwide vote in which the U.K. decides whether to leave or stay in the European Union], Politico has started to test Apple Wallet as a news distribution channel via a new tool it calls EU Referendum Tracker. With the tool, which is available only on Apple devices, readers can opt in to receive live polling and results data, as well as breaking news alerts, which appear on the back of the pass.

Although the pass is largely used for the EU Referendum, the news organization has been experimenting with breaking news alerts. Earlier today, it pushed a breaking news alert about the death of British politician Jo Cox.

Kate Day, Politico's editorial director of growth, told NiemanLab that the news site turned to Apple Wallet in an effort to experiment with sending news notifications without developing and maintaining its own app. Currently, Apple only allows websites in Safari to send breaking news alerts on macOS. Politico chose the EU Referendum specifically because they believe users are more open to push notifications if they sign up for the specificity of a topic rather than general news.

Politico considered platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for its project, but thought WhatsApp had scaling issues for publishers while Facebook announced its bot program after Politico began work on the Apple Wallet project. The experiment is a joint effort with ad agency Digitas LBI, which used Apple Wallet to deliver news about the U.K. general election in 2015.

Day told NiemanLab that although Apple Wallet was an unusual choice for breaking news notifications, the limitations allowed Politico to focus and simplify what they wanted to do and get across with the notifications.

The Politico Europe EU Referendum Tracker can be signed up for at Politico's website while on an iPhone.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: Apple Wallet

Top Rated Comments

Porco Avatar
Porco
67 months ago

Although the pass is largely used for the EU Referendum, a process sometimes referred to as "Brexit,"
No, 'Brexit' is simply the desired outcome of next week's referendum by people wanting BRitain to EXIT the EU. The referendum next week is to determine whether we remain in the EU, or we decide to leave.

(EDIT: I am happy to see the story has been edited to make more sense now).
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac 128 Avatar
Mac 128
67 months ago
I'm surprised Apple lets them do this. I can see them shutting this down real quick.
First thought I had. This is not what Apple designed wallet to do, and they don't typically like things being used "off label".
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diegogaja Avatar
diegogaja
67 months ago
No. That's not what they are saying. What they've done is find away to send messages without having/maintains an app. Pretty smart if you ask me...

You're telling me Politico can't send mail or make a simple app for notifications. It absolutely HAS to go through Wallet for some reason.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JoelTheSuperior Avatar
JoelTheSuperior
67 months ago
I'd be curious to see how Apple reacts to this.

Implementation is genius.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bookwormsy Avatar
bookwormsy
67 months ago
I'm surprised Apple lets them do this. I can see them shutting this down real quick.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
garirry Avatar
garirry
67 months ago
You're telling me Politico can't send mail or make a simple app for notifications. It absolutely HAS to go through Wallet for some reason.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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