Apple Now Selling Square's New NFC Reader for Apple Pay and Contactless Payments

[tmiw]

Received our chip readers from Square a few weeks ago. They were free since we were already with Square and pre-ordered back in July or August IIRC. I did have to purchase the 'mount'. They connect to the iPad/iPhone running the Square App via bluetooth. The only reason to plug in the reader is to charge the battery. Ours is permanently connected so as not to run out of juice and is placed next to our Square Stand on the counter. It works both as a chip reader and an NFC reader. If you need to enter a PIN, you would do so via the iPad. The reader is merely an add on for the Square Stand which houses an iPad and is attached to a counter top for brick and mortar retailers.

An iOS device isn't secure enough to allow PIN entry on it.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Received our chip readers from Square a few weeks ago. They were free since we were already with Square and pre-ordered back in July or August IIRC. I did have to purchase the 'mount'. They connect to the iPad/iPhone running the Square App via bluetooth. The only reason to plug in the reader is to charge the battery. Ours is permanently connected so as not to run out of juice and is placed next to our Square Stand on the counter. It works both as a chip reader and an NFC reader. If you need to enter a PIN, you would do so via the iPad. The reader is merely an add on for the Square Stand which houses an iPad and is attached to a counter top for brick and mortar retailers.

You can plug in the reader to the Square Stand USB ports directly and that would pair it and negate the need for using Bluetooth as well. However you can still use Bluetooth if you ran out of USB ports for things such as Cash Drawers etc...

 

[Tech198]

so this seems more like only business are "ease of access" just by buying it from Apple's Online Store.. rather than anyone at the Apple site getting this cheap device.

 

[Padaung]

No keypad, but since the US isn't bothering with the PIN part of chip and PIN there's not much of a point in adding one. Downside of course is that if we ever do, a whole bunch of small businesses will be very unhappy about having to replace their terminals/card readers again so quickly.

Will that ever happen? I doubt it, especially since both Visa and MasterCard are looking to move away from PIN altogether. And if we do it'll likely be at least a decade because we were short-sighted enough to basically need terminals and cards replaced.

Ah, okay. Thanks for the reply. Why no PIN? It is so easy and quick and if the machines are being replaced for chip machines then adding the keypad would add minimal extra cost. Certainly better than replacing all the machines in a few years again for keypad models.

Do you still have to sign in the US? Surely that is no more secure than magstripe and sign?

I work in Retail here in the UK and the suppliers of our EPOS system don't yet have a card reader capable of NFC.

Such a shame because I know there are customers of ours who want to use Apple Pay!

It'd also be ideal for when they've left their wallet at home. Rather than us trusting them to come back (90% of people do luckily) anyone who is set up for AP could use a device like Square.

Yeah, Sainsbury's are being slow getting NFC machines, a real pain when a retailer doesn't have it. I love when bars have tap and go, it actually does make it much quicker getting a drink (for the American's who don't know how our UK bars work, we typically go to the counter to be served. Only restaurants have table service for drinks).

The main issue we have with our NFC system is because it was set up before Apple Pay and other user verified methods were available (Google Pay etc.), we had to have a transaction limit implemented (currently £30) to stop a card thief going off and spending everything in the account. Currently the NFC system does not differentiate between a contactless bank card and Apple Pay. I believe that requires an update to the back end of the banking systems and possibly new NFC terminals, so we are still a way from spending over £30 via Apple Pay.

NFC has lower commission charges than chip and pin so smaller retailers are happier to accept it for charges below £5 which is handy when I have no cash and just want some water and a chocolate bar. Since the Underground went fully contactless (Oyster cards and NFC bank cards) for its ticketing the number of NFC terminals in London has gone through the roof.

 

[winston1236]

Ah the square reader, the prefered hardware of choice for card thieves everywhere.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Ah, okay. Thanks for the reply. Why no PIN? It is so easy and quick and if the machines are being replaced for chip machines then adding the keypad would add minimal extra cost. Certainly better than replacing all the machines in a few years again for keypad models.

Do you still have to sign in the US? Surely that is no more secure than magstripe and sign?





Yeah, Sainsbury's are being slow getting NFC machines, a real pain when a retailer doesn't have it. I love when bars have tap and go, it actually does make it much quicker getting a drink (for the American's who don't know how our UK bars work, we typically go to the counter to be served. Only restaurants have table service for drinks).

The main issue we have with our NFC system is because it was set up before Apple Pay and other user verified methods were available (Google Pay etc.), we had to have a transaction limit implemented (currently £30) to stop a card thief going off and spending everything in the account. Currently the NFC system does not differentiate between a contactless bank card and Apple Pay. I believe that requires an update to the back end of the banking systems and possibly new NFC terminals, so we are still a way from spending over £30 via Apple Pay.

NFC has lower commission charges than chip and pin so smaller retailers are happier to accept it for charges below £5 which is handy when I have no cash and just want some water and a chocolate bar. Since the Underground went fully contactless (Oyster cards and NFC bank cards) for its ticketing the number of NFC terminals in London has gone through the roof.

Yes we do have to sign in the US as most cards are Chip & Signature not Chip & PIN. Some banks offer Chip & PIN cards though but there are very few.

Most retail terminals support both Chip & PIN AND Chip & Signature (which is why in the US we have the large touchscreen terminals for signing and numbers for punching in a PIN). Now Square supports only Chip & Signature, but the good news is that all Chip & PIN cards do support signature so you can still shop at square merchants just fine.

However don't forget that US debit cards are issued with chip & PIN, and I want to say they are the most popular form of payment in the US. So adding a PIN to credit wouldn't be too bad.

As for it being more secure than swiping, yes it is as it still provides the one time use Cvv1 value, and that is what makes it so you can't use a cloned card. In the US cloned cards make up for way more fraud than stolen cards.

The only problem is now us using our cards abroad, mainly due to cashier confusion when a chip and signature card is used and they wonder why we still have to sign with a chip.

Contactless transit is gaining traction here as well, where Chicago is set up like London, and you can tap a contactless credit card or Apple Pay at the fare gate to get on the train. Very nice and fast. Pennsylvania you can just use a credit card on the fare gate as well. Now the big cities like LA and New York needs to do it! But LA has a proprietary Tap card system which at least is contactless. And New York is so antiquated you still have to swipe.

Also every bar in the US that I've been to you also have to go to the counter to get served. I don't think that is different

 

[lordofthereef]

Anyone with some common sense would constantly check their bank's website to see what transactions have been posted recently. I don't feel bad for anyone who has a fraudulent charge on their account, but doesn't notice it until three months later-- that my friend, is irresponsibility.

Nobody wants your pity anyway. THey want a means to bank without having top micro manage their accounts. Apple pay is a step in that direction. A big step.

Three months is indeed a long time, but a week or two is reasonable. THat said, I have no desire to deal with fraud charges. I need to be scanning my account to see if there are fraud charges, and then if there are, call in, be sent paperwork to sign, and have it ealt with. This has happened twice (though it's been near a decade, if not longer) and it's just not fun at all. As much money as these banks are making off of us and our money,

Apple's never been good at B2B type stuff. If they did release such a thing they probably wouldn't promote it well if at all.



Walgreens' NFC based loyalty card only transmits loyalty info. You still need to choose a credit/debit card in Wallet to pay with Apple Pay. Most others will likely be the same.

Fair enough. I still think that the point of this is less for lyalty card safety and more for actual monetary transactions.

 

[0970373]

Similar story here. I saw the reader with the Apple Pay logo on it and said "I'll use Apple Pay". The cashier said "We don't support Apple Pay". I said "Yes you do, I see the reader right there." I used my Apple Watch and she got a real kick out of it -- then moved the reader back out of reach. Finally after a couple weeks the reader is front and center and they don't have to move it just for me. The Square system is nice because it remembers who you are based on your payment type (even with a regular credit card) and if you opt-in one time will automatically email you a receipt. Very convenient.

Here in NYC, many of the food trucks, food festival vendors and the newer hipster restaurants/coffee shops use Square. That swivel register is pretty cool. At food festivals like Smorgasburg, the small square that attaches to the 3.5mm jack is a real convenience. The hipsters love it.

 

[Padaung]

Also every bar in the US that I've been to you also have to go to the counter to get served. I don't think that is different

Thanks for your great reply. Interesting to know how chip cards are working out over there.


Okay, I clearly watch too much US TV where table service is shown

 

[0970373]

Thanks for your great reply. Interesting to know how chip cards are working out over there.

Okay, I clearly watch too much US TV where table service is shown

Well you may be going to the counter at the bar to order but at in cases of the bar and the restaurant, you're handing your card over to the server to swipe or dip. Basically, you're still losing sight of your card while someone runs it.

 

[ptb42]

Yes, 3.5% accepting money whichever way I can get it Customer choice, not mine.

If you are mail order only, it would be kind of hard for them to present the card to you.

 

[Thunderhawks]

If you are mail order only, it would be kind of hard for them to present the card to you.

Good old check would work, but they want to use the card for miles.

 

[tmiw]

Speaking of miles, it would be nice if Chase offered double UR points for Chase Ink spending for a year if you switch your payment processing to Chase Paymentech and use an Apple Pay capable terminal. Doubt that'd happen though.

 

[American Hero]

Speaking of miles, it would be nice if Chase offered double UR points for Chase Ink spending for a year if you switch your payment processing to Chase Paymentech and use an Apple Pay capable terminal. Doubt that'd happen though.

Get a Discover card... A much better option.

100% U.S Based customer service, whereas with Chase, you'll likely get some guy that speaks Spanish on the phone even though you've pressed "1" for English.

Double your miles or cash back earned at the end of your first year.

$0 annual fee.

 

[tmiw]

Get a Discover card... A much better option.

100% U.S Based customer service, whereas with Chase, you'll likely get some guy that speaks Spanish on the phone even though you've pressed "1" for English.

Double your miles or cash back earned at the end of your first year.

$0 annual fee.

I was thinking along the line of small business cards, not consumer cards. Plus you could very well get enough points to go on vacation for free if you spend enough on your business.