Apple Inc. is set to stake their claim in the check-out experience game sometime in the near future. The company plans to release a new service which will allow business owners to use their iOS device as a payment terminal, without the current need for extra hardware.
The technology is linked to the NFC (Near-field Communications) chip used predominantly in their ApplePay services. The idea is to remove the external hardware that the majority of merchants are using today via card readers, by allowing them to accept transactions by tapping a customer’s debit or credit card to the NFC chip.
According to sources from Bloomberg “Apple may begin rolling out the feature via a software update in the coming months”.
This could open up the playing field for payment providers, and aid them in facilitating the new digital world. Thus ultimately, creating a better and more efficient way for micro-merchants and businesses alike to accept card transactions, no matter the brand of their mobile device.
Our tap-to-phone app, Surfpay, is set to launch soon and we are excited to be a part of the payment providers of tomorrow. Apple’s new services will accelerate the change in the card present space, paving the way for the next generation of payment providers.