I got a wonderful email from Apple today telling me that my “app is ready for sale.” So, Wallet Zero launches today. My partner, a very sharp HBS grad, has really helped guide this along. This app could be quite successful.

Wallet Zero is designed to solve the problem of the physical wallet. The problem, other than the dearth of money in it, is that is just too thick. Among things that fill it, are a plethora of loyalty cards, gym membership cards, frequent flyer cards, etc.. Wallet Zero tries to get as many as those, as possible, out of your wallet and onto your iPhone. It is just that simple.

The technology:
For cards that have a barcode, we reproduce that barcode. For those without a barcode, we just show the account number. We also show the support phone numbers for each of the cards.

I’ve had pretty good luck with scanners being able to scan the barcode, but your mileage will vary. Scanner technology seems to vary by region. The CVS by my old house in Florida could read it just fine, but the CVS across the street from me here in Boston can’t scan the barcode, so the clerk enters it manually.

Each barcode is different. We’ve been steadily going through every popular loyalty card and matching the bardcode. This process includes matching the barcode “font” as well as check digits and a few other tricks. It’s a hassle and a lot of work, but it’s great once it’s built.

This is my first free app that isn’t meant to drive sales to another product. The business revolves around back end sales to businesses. This should actually also provide an even better experience to the end user. This first release of the app is mainly a reality check, but I’m hopeful of launching some great upgrades in the near future.

[Update] Wallet Zero is now a Top 50 Lifestyle application!

[Update] The coolest part here: When on the iPhone’s App Store, if you start typing ‘wallet’, it auto-completes to Wallet Zero!