NFC Payments Heading To US Restaurants

NFC based Mobile payments like Apple Pay are great ideas, but there are still lot of barriers in place before smartphones can become another way to pay. VeriFone is looking to solve this with its new mobile point of sale (mPOS) payment terminal. This new mobile payment option called PAYWare Mobile e355 does a few things unlike previous mobile payment terminals that have come before it.

First, it focuses on more than just one OS and supports Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. That means Google Wallet, Apple Pay, or third-party players like Softcard for Windows Phone will all be accepted with the same device.

Second, it’s designed to be able to upgrade as smartphones upgrade, meaning restaurants and businesses can rest easy knowing whatever Apple or Samsung dream up for 2015 won’t make their pricey gear obsolete.

PAYware Mobile e355 accepts all payment types, including EMV, NFC, Apple Pay, and traditional magnetic stripe, and supports all major platforms such as iOS, Android and Windows Phone. The terminal also has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB connectivity and an optional barcode scanner for processing coupons or other uses.

The prospect of having to purchase new mPOS devices for sales associates when smartphones and tablets are upgraded has been a major inhibitor to mPOS investment among retailers,

said Mark Shockley, senior vice president of Mobile Solutions for Verifone.

Verifones single, modular solution will offer the ultimate in mPOS flexibility, allowing it to persist across changes in devices, even if somebody wants to make a complete switch from one OS to another.

There are a few caveats to all this mobile payment good news. VeriFones new device won’t ship until late summer 2015 and will most likely be hefty investment, since the company seems to be focusing on “larger retailers.” Exactly what “larger” means is uncertain, but I would expect your favorite family-owned greasy spoon to be in the market for one of these anytime soon.