Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms that come up when you build, ship, and run a wallet pass program. The "what is X" reference for product, marketing, and engineering teams.
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The file format Apple Wallet uses for passes. A signed ZIP archive containing pass.json, images, and an Apple signature.
Why it matters
Knowing the format helps when debugging — if Apple Wallet refuses to install a pass, the .pkpass file is the first thing to inspect.
Apple's protocol for delivering updates to devices. Used by Apple Wallet to silently update a pass — for example, a new points balance — so the pass refreshes without the user opening anything.
Why it matters
Push is what makes wallet passes feel live. A pass that never updates is no better than a static plastic card.
The native pass container on iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple Wallet stores boarding passes, tickets, loyalty cards, and payment cards in one app.
Why it matters
Distribution to iOS users — roughly half of the addressable market in Australia and the US — happens through Apple Wallet.
A wallet pass that contains a single offer — discount, free item, BOGO — with an expiry date and redemption mechanism (barcode, QR, or staff lookup).
Why it matters
Coupons in the wallet get installed and redeemed at significantly higher rates than email- or print-distributed coupons.
A generic term for any app that stores digital cards, tickets, or payment instruments. Apple Wallet and Google Wallet are the two dominant consumer digital wallets.
Why it matters
Some teams use "digital wallet" to mean Apple Pay / Google Pay (payments). For loyalty and tickets the term refers to the pass container.
A wallet pass for a single event — concert, sports match, festival, conference — usually with a barcode for entry and seat/section information.
Why it matters
Replaces PDF tickets and paper printouts. Surfaces automatically on the lock screen near the venue and event time.
Google's equivalent of APN, used to push pass updates to Android devices via Google Wallet.
Why it matters
Cross-platform parity — your customers' Android passes need to update just as reliably as their iOS ones.
Google's pass container on Android. Stores loyalty cards, gift cards, event tickets, transit passes, and payment cards.
Why it matters
Distribution to Android users requires Google Wallet pass integration via the Google Wallet API.
A wallet pass that tracks customer rewards — points, stamps, tier status, or visit count — for a single business.
Why it matters
The most common wallet pass use case, especially for cafes, gyms, salons, and retail.
A wallet pass that represents an ongoing membership — gym, co-working, club, or subscription service. Usually shows membership tier, expiry, and a scannable identifier.
Why it matters
Eliminates lost membership cards and gives the business a direct push channel to active members.
Synonym for digital wallet in the context of phones — emphasising that the wallet is native to the device rather than a third-party app.
Why it matters
Mobile wallets sit at the OS level, which is why they get lock-screen and notification privileges third-party apps cannot match.
How a signed pass reaches the customer. Common channels: signup form download link, SMS, email attachment, QR code on a printed sign or receipt.
Why it matters
The distribution channel often matters more than the pass design — friction here is the single biggest reason wallet programs underperform.
The moment the customer taps "Add to Apple Wallet" or "Add to Google Wallet" and the pass lands inside their wallet app.
Why it matters
An installed pass is what unlocks push notifications. A sent-but-not-installed pass is a dead pass.
Apple Wallet's lock-screen surfacing logic. A pass becomes "relevant" — and appears on the lock screen — based on time, location, or beacon proximity defined in the pass.
Why it matters
Relevance is the wallet's killer feature. A loyalty pass that appears on the lock screen as the customer walks into your shop gets used.
The cryptographic step that proves a pass was issued by a legitimate Pass Type ID owner. Performed server-side using the Apple-issued signing certificate and private key.
Why it matters
An unsigned or wrongly signed pass will be refused by Apple Wallet. Pass signing must happen securely — leaking the private key lets attackers issue counterfeit passes.
An Apple identifier that uniquely scopes a category of passes issued by a business (e.g. "pass.com.acme.loyalty"). Created in the Apple Developer portal and tied to a signing certificate.
Why it matters
Every Apple Wallet pass must be signed against a Pass Type ID — this is what proves the pass came from your business and not someone impersonating you.
A connection between the wallet platform and the merchant's point-of-sale system (Square, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Vend) so that purchases automatically credit loyalty points or trigger pass updates.
Why it matters
Without POS integration, staff need to scan the pass and manually credit points. POS integration is what turns a wallet program from a novelty into a habit.
A digital card stored inside Apple Wallet or Google Wallet on a customer's phone. It can be a loyalty card, membership, coupon, ticket, or boarding pass.
Why it matters
Replaces plastic loyalty cards and paper coupons with a card customers always have on them.
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