The iPhone can do many things -- and processing credit card transactions is already one of them, thanks to a veritable host of App Store apps for just that purpose. But have you ever seen a credit card actually swiped into the device?
Gizmodo has turned up a YouTube video with Digg founder Kevin Rose schilling for Square’s forthcoming credit card swiping hardware and accompanying app, a trial of which was first reported in December. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is the man behind the service (and Rose himself is an investor), which plans to roll out officially sometime this year.
In addition to making it easier for small business to accept credit cards from virtually anywhere thanks to the hardware dongle, the Square software appears to be a lot more streamlined than the other current offerings as well. Cardholders can sign using the iPhone’s multitouch screen and even receive a receipt via e-mail or the web, complete with a small Google Map indicating where the purchase was made.
Judging from the video below, the process is pretty streamlined, with the possible exception of the hardware dongle itself -- for some inexplicable reason, it uses the audio jack instead of the dock connector. Our guess is that this is designed to circumvent the hefty fees that Apple charges developers who want access to the dock connector, but given the fragile nature of the 1/8-inch plug, we think it won’t be long before somebody snaps the Square dongle off inside the jack. (iPhone case designer Mophie has also announced a credit card reader which they showed off at CES this month, which solves the Square dongle problem by building the reader into the case itself.)
Otherwise, the Square service appears to do what it promises and do it well. The company promises that the service won’t require any contracts or monthly fees (presumably outside of a merchant account?) when it launches this year.
Fitting yesterday I was in the SF Apple keep on Author Street and my assistive Apple associate swiped my paper in his iPhone, and I asked when power the group get that design? But sight as I smoldering in S.F. and localised at&t writer sucks so majorly, I needed to turn to another bourgeois to be competent to get and gain calls. That inverted my iPhone into an iPod, and how I wishing Apple would increase the iPhone to other businessperson. And wouldn't it be major if this depot would interrogatory on this matter and possibilities.
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rowanat01
Credit Cards
Merchants are charged several fees for the privilege of accepting credit cards. The merchant is usually charged a commission of 1%-3%+ of the value of each transaction paid for by credit card...
Just yesterday I was in the SF Apple store on Stockton Street and my helpful Apple associate swiped my card in his iPhone, and I asked when might the world get that device? But seeing as I live in S.F. and local at&t service sucks so majorly, I needed to switch to another provider to be able to get and make calls. That turned my iPhone into an iPod, and how I wish Apple would expand the iPhone to another provider. And wouldn't it be great if this magazine would report on this subject and possibilities.
The Apple Store in my town has been doing this for months now. It looks like a large iPhone case that has a swipe slot on the side of it. WHen I first noticed it I commented on how much nicer it must be compared to the Windows CE garbage they were using. Has anyone else seen these or is the Apple store in my town a test bed for the new hardware?
All Apple stores now use specially augmented Apple-desinged iPod touches to cash-out customers instead of what they previously used, which were PDA-like devices that ran on a Windows-mobile OS. Not only hypocritical of Apple to use a Windows product, the devices were unreliable. However, these modified iPods are not available to the public, thus the usefulness of a device such as this.
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