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People who want to shop on the iTunes Store without using a credit card now have an easier time of it with a new service from Apple called “iTunes Pass.” The tool makes it easy for people to load a balance onto their iTunes Store account, which they can use to purchase music, apps, and other media.

To use the service, iPhone and iPad owners can add an iTunes Pass to their Passbook app, which will then display the available balance on their iTunes Store account. If they want to add more money to the account, they can go into an Apple Store and ask one of the salespeople to add additional money to the balance. The Apple Store employee can then scan the Pass’s barcode and accept the customer’s payment to add funds.

Three white iPhone 5S handsets displaying iOS 7iTunes Pass provides an easier way for people to keep a pre-paid balance without having to go out and purchase iTunes Gift Cards to re-stock their account on Apple’s online store.

The service first launched in Japan earlier this week, and it’s now available in both the United States and Australia as well. It comes as Apple has made iPhones available to people using pre-paid phone plans, which should make them more appealing to people who don’t have credit cards, or would rather set up a pre-paid balance rather than pay with each purchase.

Of course, the program won’t reach everyone. People who are far away from an Apple Store won’t see much of a benefit from the service, since the cost of transit to and from the store would probably outweigh any potential convenience.

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