New Square Stand Combines iPad With Built-In Apple Pay and Credit Card Reader

[MacRumors]

Square today announced a new version of its Square Stand point-of-sale system that allows businesses to easily accept in-person payments.

The second-generation Square Stand combines an iPad, the Square POS app, and built-in payment readers for contactless payments like Apple Pay and chip-enabled credit and debit cards. The original Square Stand required separate payment readers.

With the same swivel design as the original, the new Square Stand can easily be turned towards a customer at a checkout. There are several payment methods available, including tapping an iPhone or Apple Watch with Apple Pay, tapping a chip-enabled card, or inserting a chip-enabled card. For magnetic stripe payments that still require swiping, Square sells a magstripe reader that can plug into the Square Stand's audio jack.

The new Square Stand is available to order starting today for $149 in the United States, while orders begin in June in the UK. The stand is compatible with 10.2-inch and 10.5-inch iPad models, such as the ninth-generation iPad and the third-generation iPad Air. The iPad must be purchased separately, but the Square POS app is free to use.

Article Link: New Square Stand Combines iPad With Built-In Apple Pay and Credit Card Reader

 

[freedomlinux]

Makes sense. If everyone is going to have the contactless reader, might as well make it more integrated / less wire mess.

 

[JMStearnsX2]

Surprised it took them this long to implement this. Still, better late than never...

 

[albert421]

At half the cost of an iPad. The moment apple release the tap to pay api. This is out of date.

 

[antiprotest]

When they turn the screen to you for the tip...

 

[james2538]

When they turn the screen to you for the tip...

And the only available pre-set options are 20%, 25%, and 30% for a to-go drink/sandwich

 

[nickawhite]

Seems a bit like questionable timing given the imminent release of a Tap to Pay API, which I assume square will opt in to, no?

 

[dontwalkhand]

Now, please enable the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature so I no longer need to carry around the square!

 

[Caliber26]

Seems a bit like questionable timing given the imminent release of a Tap to Pay API, which I assume square will opt in to, no?

Would this allow iOS users to receive payments from those paying with Google Pay or Samgung Pay as well?

 

[magicschoolbus]

You know, this seems like it could be a very disruptive space for Apple to take on when it comes to Enterprise and services. You hear they are building an in house finance team, you gotta wonder if they could just build an App similar to Square and do payment processes with Apple pay.

 

[Sith_lord]

A lot of you are bringing up the Tap to Pay API.

I just wanted to clarify, that only works with devices that have NFC, so it should work no problem iPhone to iPhone, but not iPhone to iPad. The iPad doesn't have the hardware (NFC) to support tap to pay. So for right now until Apple adds NFC to the iPad this hardware is necessary.

 

[Benjamin Nabulsi]

is it me or does this make it easy for people who steal? they might need a rugged version of this

 

[coolfactor]

At half the cost of an iPad. The moment apple release the tap to pay api. This is out of date.

That relies on NFC being integrated into the iPad, which I don't believe they have yet? Only iPhones. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[coolfactor]

is it me or does this make it easy for people who steal? they might need a rugged version of this

It can be attached to the counter, and/or attached with a security cable.

For my store, I chose the standalone Terminal, not the Stand. However, they still have some software deficiencies that make the Terminal less friendly. It can print receipts only for card payments, not cash payments, for example. That makes no sense to me. (ie. when using the POS app on an iPad)

 

[dontwalkhand]

is it me or does this make it easy for people who steal? they might need a rugged version of this

Plenty of places use the older Square stand, and nobody is ripping them off and running with the iPads unless the place was getting burglarized anyway.

 

[dontwalkhand]

It can be attached to the counter, and/or attached with a security cable.

For my store, I chose the standalone Terminal, not the Stand. However, they still have some software deficiencies that make the Terminal less friendly. It can print receipts only for card payments, not cash payments, for example. That makes no sense to me. (ie. when using the POS app on an iPad)

I use the terminal as well, it prints receipts for cash payments for me just fine.... Check your settings definitely.

 

[dontwalkhand]

When they turn the screen to you for the tip...

I have learned where Square puts the other amount button, as well as learning how Shopify, Revel, Toast, NCR, and others started hiding it as well. Then I type in $0 or .50 for my $2 order!

 

[dmylrea]

And the only available pre-set options are 20%, 25%, and 30% for a to-go drink/sandwich

...that you had to go to a counter to order and back to the counter to pick it up. Not to mention the times you've tipped when paying only to find out your order is wrong long after you've left the store. Just raise the price.

 

[dontwalkhand]

That relies on NFC being integrated into the iPad, which I don't believe they have yet? Only iPhones. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct. NFC is not built into the iPad. Now as overkill as it is, I would love to have a customer facing iPhone for customers to tap...because it looks cool.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Would this allow iOS users to receive payments from those paying with Google Pay or Samgung Pay as well?

Yes, you can even just tap cards directly to the iPhone instead of having to use a phone based payment at all.

 

[Yonizzle]

Frustrating that when they integrated the NFC reader, they removed the built-in mag stripe reader. We almost never see chipless credit cards, but Square’s own integrated gift card system uses swipe-only plastic cards. Our business has lots of those floating around, so typing them in is a hassle. Also surprising that this stand still obscures the camera, given that eGift cards and Cash App payment methods use bar/QR codes!

 

[Macintosh TV]

Seems a bit like questionable timing given the imminent release of a Tap to Pay API, which I assume square will opt in to, no?

Right now Stripe is the only partner that's been announced.

 

[Yonizzle]

You are correct. NFC is not built into the iPad. Now as overkill as it is, I would love to have a customer facing iPhone for customers to tap...because it looks cool.

Yeah, when they announced Apple Pay in 2014, I thought “cool, now they just have to put NFC chips into iPads and do peer-to-peer NFC so Square and other POS apps can take payments with no additional hardware.” 7.5 years later the peer-to-peer part is finally showing up but still no NFC hardware in iPads ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[lazyrighteye]

When they turn the screen to you for the tip...

Haha. Yeah... I mean, who doesn't appreciate a tip? I have been on the vendor-side of many counters of varying business types. Not all of them were tip-worthy transactions. That said, I don't take issue with any business offering a tip option at POS because I also have no issue with tapping NO TIP for certain transactions. But for those so inclined, having the option is win-win.

The bang-for-buck for this hardware, seems pretty good. While my initial concern about the inevitable: when the 10.2" iPad's physical dimensions changes to not fit with this hardware, it's quickly pretty much moot when you consider A) the relatively low cost of this Square hardware and B) that whatever iPad that does fit this hardware will likely perform Square's transactional functions for years (not like it needs to play the latest game at the highest frame rates). Anyway, if my Mac-powered company were in need of transactional navigation and management, I'd likely consider this setup.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Frustrating that when they integrated the NFC reader, they removed the built-in mag stripe reader. We almost never see chipless credit cards, but Square’s own integrated gift card system uses swipe-only plastic cards. Our business has lots of those floating around, so typing them in is a hassle. Also surprising that this stand still obscures the camera, given that eGift cards and Cash App payment methods use bar/QR codes!

You can plug in a Square Magstripe reader if you have gift cards it seems, they added a headphone jack to the bottom of the unit. Also since they are expecting you to turn the device around to accept payment now, the front camera is still visible for barcoded payments.