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Overview of Apple's New iPod Touch-Based EasyPay Retail Store Checkout System

snowleopard2009 said:
Why can't you just swipe the card on that device and enter your pin number on it?? Doesn't make 1 bit of sense. Kind of makes using it pointlessw if you have to go to ANOTHER terminal.
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On the old system, you can't do a debit transaction at all. It has to be credit.

Debit transactions contain the users PIN, obviously. When you swipe the card, the swiper has to immediately encrypt the users PIN before it sends it off to be authorized. The encryption used is specific to (and injected into the swipers by) the credit card processor that Apple uses.

I'm guessing that they either don't want to do that piece, or the touch isn't capable of doing that piece.

Either way, it's at least offering a feature that can't be done in the Apple Store now (which is use a debit card + PIN with an EasyPay), even if it's not being done in the most convenient way.
 
I'm guessing that for the UK version of this, they'll offer Chip & Pin on the device itself.

I'm not entirely sure how it works, but that might mean that the UK Apple Stores will be getting a slightly different card reader that only does the chip. Unless the magnetic strip is the same as the chip, but I'm not 100% sure of that.
 
snowleopard2009 said:
Why can't you just swipe the card on that device and enter your pin number on it?? Doesn't make 1 bit of sense. Kind of makes using it pointlessw if you have to go to ANOTHER terminal.
Click to expand...
Perhaps they ran into some sort of technical issue with debit transactions and perhaps they knew that debit transactions were a small percentage vs. credit transactions and thus decided not to delay the roll-out. Perhaps.
 
eawmp1 said:
Finally an Apple solution for the Apple Store. Nice to see you CAN do business without Windows.
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Did they really have to use Windows before? How sad is that. If I were Apple I NEVER would use Windows in ANY part of my store.
 
alec said:
Nifty, but how many vendors would really be on board for this?
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The intended customer for this device are the Apple Retail stores. I would imagine they could roll it out as as an actual business product down the road.

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Cromulent said:
Well, exactly. Having to sign for purchases is a huge security risk.

Its much better when you have to enter your PIN code to make a purchase, at least the PIN is not on the back of the card like a signature is giving the thief all the information he needs to use the card.
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Yup, I really thought the monstrously flawed system of signatures was dead and buried.
 
WilliamTM said:
I'm guessing that for the UK version of this, they'll offer Chip & Pin on the device itself.

I'm not entirely sure how it works, but that might mean that the UK Apple Stores will be getting a slightly different card reader that only does the chip. Unless the magnetic strip is the same as the chip, but I'm not 100% sure of that.
Click to expand...

The magnetic strip is a lot easier to clone so the chip gives the retailer greater security.
 
aristobrat said:
Debit transactions contain the users PIN, obviously. When you swipe the card, the swiper has to immediately encrypt the users PIN before it sends it off to be authorized. The encryption used is specific to (and injected into the swipers by) the credit card processor that Apple uses.

I'm guessing that they either don't want to do that piece, or the touch isn't capable of doing that piece.
Click to expand...

I suspect it's not allowed, for security reasons. Swiping a credit card isn't that big a deal from a security point of view. How many times have you written it out on a form, or dictated it over the phone, faxed it or allowed an imprint of it to be made, or (gasp!) even emailed it to someone? We do it all the time.

The PIN is supposed to stay secret though, and the only device you ever input it into is the "official" PIN pad hardware provided by the bank. Even at the self-checkout stands at Home Depot, you use the bank-provided hardware to complete the transaction. (The only exception I've ever seen is at gas stations).

Inputting the PIN into the iPod device means it has to be stored/transferred somewhere, which means it is vulnerable to interception.
 
At the Apple Store in Louisville today and the employee said that they just got the new equipment in, but they haven't opened it or seen it yet. He acted like they were going to start using it tomorrow or soon.
 
notjustjay said:
I suspect it's not allowed, for security reasons. Swiping a credit card isn't that big a deal from a security point of view. How many times have you written it out on a form, or dictated it over the phone, faxed it or allowed an imprint of it to be made, or (gasp!) even emailed it to someone? We do it all the time.

The PIN is supposed to stay secret though, and the only device you ever input it into is the "official" PIN pad hardware provided by the bank. Even at the self-checkout stands at Home Depot, you use the bank-provided hardware to complete the transaction. (The only exception I've ever seen is at gas stations).

Inputting the PIN into the iPod device means it has to be stored/transferred somewhere, which means it is vulnerable to interception.
Click to expand...

I know the US and UK systems are different but the current ones in use at the UK Apple stores let you enter your PIN into the handset.
 
notjustjay said:
The PIN is supposed to stay secret though, and the only device you ever input it into is the "official" PIN pad hardware provided by the bank. Even at the self-checkout stands at Home Depot, you use the bank-provided hardware to complete the transaction. (The only exception I've ever seen is at gas stations).
Click to expand...
FWIW, the PIN pad hardware is actually selected and purchased by the retailer (they can buy whatever meets their needs), ... the processor takes whatever hardware that the retailer buys and injects their (the processors) encryption algorithm into them. :)
 
eawmp1 said:
Finally an Apple solution for the Apple Store. Nice to see you CAN do business without Windows.
Click to expand...

Really, Apple does business without using Windows? I guess this explains the bootcamp driver quality. I've always thought they seemed untested. You, sir, have confirmed. Thank you.
 
notjustjay said:
At the self-serve checkouts (like at Home Depot) when asked to sign the pad, I usually draw out a little happy face or some such.
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I did that once at Wal-Mart self checkout (Okay, well I drew a penis. Close enough). Apparently someone does look at those signatures because next time I used that card at the self checkout, the employee attending the self checkouts had to come over and verify that my signature matched my card. Fortunately I decided to sign my real name that time. After that, I always signed my real name and they never asked to verify my card again.
 
HA! Why do they need a CC reader?!? They should already have that memorized!(at least mine) :D

They just need a finger print reader.
 
Wont be any good in the UK, all transaction must go through the Chip and PIN service which uses the chip in the card.
 
daferrisda said:
Wont be any good in the UK, all transaction must go through the Chip and PIN service which uses the chip in the card.
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Do you know for sure that the slider on the back of the touch can't read chips?

I mean, if Apple's currently using Chip and PIN in the UK, I can't imagine that they'd implement a new system that all of a sudden couldn't anymore. :confused:
 
Dog food!

Glad to see Apple is eating their own dog food! This may mean enhancements to the product simply due to their own needs, and possibly start selling this functionality to other companies.

As for a few comments pointing out that it's ugly: Yeah, but that's not really the point.
 
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