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

Wednesday February 3, 2016 7:56 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Square has announced that its new NFC reader that enables small businesses to accept Apple Pay, Android Pay, and other contactless payments can now be purchased from Apple online or in U.S. stores for $49.

The reader is compatible with NFC-equipped smartphones, including the iPhone 6 or newer, and contactless EMV chip debit and credit cards based on technologies like American Express ExpressPay, MasterCard PayPass, and Visa payWave.

Apple-Square
The small square-shaped reader functions like other NFC-enabled payment terminals, allowing users to wave an iPhone, paired Apple Watch, or contactless EMV chip card near the reader for a few seconds to complete a purchase.

The NFC reader, which connects wirelessly with iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth, also works with EMV chip cards that are inserted for Chip-and-Signature payments. Square includes a magstripe reader in the box for accepting traditional swipe payments as well.

Apple Pay is accepted at more than 1 million locations in the U.S., but its early rollout has mostly been limited to larger franchises. Square's new NFC reader, and similar products, will help expand Apple Pay to smaller businesses across the country.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tags: NFC, Square
[ 114 comments ]


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American Hero
31 months ago

$49 is just too expensive. I get there is more tech in this by far than the free strip reader they gave out, but cmon. $25 would have been more than fair still.


You're kidding me right? You save $49 of your first transaction fees after buying the reader.

Try buying a Verifone MX925 and see how much one of those goes for.

Give me a break.
Rating: 14 Votes
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pgiguere1
31 months ago
Better start switching from the 3.5mm jack reader now, its days are numbered :p.
Rating: 10 Votes
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American Hero
31 months ago
When American Businesses are told they have to upgrade to usable EMV readers or face fraudulent charges in cases of stolen credit cards and data breaches, even though the rest of the world did this years ago...



Rating: 7 Votes
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Jakexb
31 months ago
Super curious when Apple will let an iOS device accept an Apple Pay NFC charge natively. All the hardware is there.

Actually, Apple could make a card reader, process everything through the Apple Pay system and completely take over the small-biz cash register business. People are already using iPads/iPhones with Square or sometimes PayPal or sometimes ShopKeep for "cash registers".
Rating: 6 Votes
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2457282
31 months ago
Apple has an terribly ugly case that they put on their iPhone in the Apple Store that allows them to accept Apple Pay and credit cards. It also has a scanner built in. Apple should buy Square so they can get their design folks to help Jony out. Square has a very nice simple Apple-like design. In addition, with Apple's backing, Square could finally expand overseas and really help Apple Pay get better penetration.

Come on Tim, this seems like a really smart investment, even if not as sexy as buying beats.
Rating: 5 Votes
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69Mustang
31 months ago

$49 is just too expensive. I get there is more tech in this by far than the free strip reader they gave out, but cmon. $25 would have been more than fair still.

To a business, $49 is a small investment. The device helps people make money.
Rating: 5 Votes
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Peel
31 months ago
Since this was launched a few months ago, I now notice that more small-businesses that I frequent (mainly food trucks and restaurants) accept Apple Pay than do large chains. This hopefully starts a bottom-up revolution that finally forces the big boys to play along as well.
Rating: 4 Votes
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rdlink
31 months ago

Where are you shopping where your card numbers are being stolen? On second thought, that's neither here nor there. If you're tired, you're tired. I'm just still amazed when I see people say they avoid x store because of the lack of Apple Pay. I always imagine them driving by stores for miles searching for that one store in the area where they can use it.


Your card number can be stolen almost anywhere. Give your card to a waitperson. It can be stolen between the table and whatever hidden place they go to run the charge. Give your card to a website. It can be stolen from their systems. Slide your card in a store reader. A skimmer might be on it.

I'm not saying that I drive around town all day looking for stores that accept Apple Pay. But when a store installs new readers that have NFC capability but doesn't enable it, or if they purposely turn it off to keep people from using contactless I make it known that they're losing my business until they fix it. Also, if there are two merchants who offer a similar shopping experience and one takes Apple Pay, but the other one doesn't I will patronize the one that does, and make sure the one that I don't use knows why.

Case in point, I will drive across the street to use Sprouts instead of King Soopers in those instances where they both have what I need.
Rating: 4 Votes
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newdeal
31 months ago
Apple Pay in Canada is an abomination. Even if a place accepts Amex, sometimes they don't accept Amex as tap to pay. And even if they accept Amex as tap to pay sometimes they don't accept Amex with Apple Pay...its very frustrating, I hope that the banks in Canada get on board soon
Rating: 4 Votes
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ateslik
31 months ago
This is all sweet and good, but I'd give my eye teeth if I could program my phone to open the doors at the 5 different buildings I have to work in and stop carrying around all these door key cards!
Rating: 3 Votes

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