Filed under: Accessories, Retail, Rumors, Apple, iPod touch
Apple looking to sell iPod touch-based EasyPay checkout system to others?
Apple has recently moved away from the old Windows Mobile-based EasyPay point-of-sale systems formerly used at the Apple Stores to a new iPod touch-based system. Now, Apple may be looking to sell the new system to other retailers. ifoAppleStore is reporting that Apple has received many inquires from people interested in purchasing this new system for their own use. The system consists of an iPod touch outfitted with an accessory case that has a built-in barcode scanner, magnetic card reader, and battery. The device also uses a Pogo stylus for capturing customer signatures. The iPod touch runs a custom application that handles all the aspects of the sale.
Sales of the system outside of Apple retail outlets still remains only a possibility, but Apple is reported to be compiling a list of customers who might be interested in purchasing it. If demand grows, this Apple-developed tool could be sold to many other retailers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
joeybeast said 2:38PM on 12-02-2009
These checkout systems are going to disappear from the stores left and right.
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MRCUR said 2:52PM on 12-02-2009
I guess Symbol (Motorola) lost a big customer with this...
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SubGenius said 1:37PM on 12-03-2009
My guess is that Symbol will dump Windows CE and develop a new line based on Android.
The one major advantage I see with the Symbol solutions is durability. These types of devices are often used in warehouses and factories. They get dropped repeatedly and keep on working.
This is not something I would expect from any product coming out of Apple's design department. A bulky case that can withstand abuse would not be aesthetically pleasing enough for Steve and Johnny.
SubGenius said 1:49PM on 12-03-2009
Losing Apple as a customer is the least of their worries.
Being relevant or competitive, now there is something to worry about.
Stephen said 2:57PM on 12-02-2009
I suppose it's just teething problems, but when I was in the Apple store a couple of weeks ago, the staff were all complaining about their new iPod-based systems. When I made my purchase, the sales person had to run around trying to borrow someone else's iPod because theirs "hasn't been working all day." It finally worked on the third iPod, after 10 minutes of trying.
Anyway, while things like that are still happening in Apple stores, it's not likely that we'll see other stores (with unskilled, non-technical staff) adopting them any time soon. It's even less likely that Apple will want to sell them, until they're closer to perfect.
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Joe said 3:17PM on 12-02-2009
All new systems have a few hiccups at first. But these touches work fast, transactions can be completed in less than 45 seconds from what I've seen. It would've taken at least 3-4 minutes on the old symbian devices.
SpinThis! said 3:39PM on 12-02-2009
Teething for sure but Apple wouldn't just sell the product as is now, since it's most extremely custom. To sell this commercially as a solution it needs to hook into a backend bookkeeping software somehow.
I doubt Apple wants to get into that market. But, who knows? With that new data center Apple's building, maybe Apple's toying with getting into an all-in-one web-style payments and checkout system for small businesses.
Dave said 4:39PM on 12-02-2009
I was in an Apple Store last week, and the new system was used in my transaction. It went easier and faster then the previous system. I asked the sales dude what her thought about the new system and he had nothing but good things to say about them. The units are smaller and faster then the previous ones, and he liked them very much.
Since it is a new system I am sure that there will be kinks that need to be worked out.
amasiancrasian said 3:00PM on 12-02-2009
If they added this and created APIs in the SDK, I would replace this with the lame-ass barcode scanners we have from Simbol we are currently using to do our inventory. In fact, not only would we use these for inventory, we would probably start putting them to use on our production line to scan barcodes for products being assembled and then tested through QA (e.g, inputting test data by technician and serializing products).
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Hector Bruce said 3:31PM on 12-02-2009
Only thing i'm wondering is how these would work here in the UK as everything relies on chip and PIN, which these devices don't seem to support. If they included that too… i know business owners who would snap these up quickly!
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amasiancrasian said 4:42PM on 12-02-2009
Well, they could switch it to an external device rather quickly. The way it works now is that if the customer's credit card doesn't work with the built-in swiper, they scan the bar code of the external credit card reader/signer, swap the transaction over, and the transaction is completed on the EasyPay. In case I needed a receipt, they would scan the bar code of the printer and the receipt would come out.
I don't see how it would be any different for a chip and pin. Scan the chip/pin device, have the customer do whatever he/she needs to do, and voila, transaction is finished on the EasyPay. I'm assuming everything is done on WPA2 and 228-bit encryption; that is the requirement by the credit card gateway services such as CyberSource.
airmanchairman said 4:57PM on 12-02-2009
With Chip and PIN, there would be no need for signature authentication, reducing the processing overhead significantly and eliminating the need for a stylus.
I wouldn't be surprised if a much cheaper and simpler solution were trialled and implemented for Europe before the American version rolls out.
WyldKard said 4:59PM on 12-02-2009
With Square's impending release, I'm not so sure this will be competitive.
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SubGenius said 1:45PM on 12-03-2009
Square's solution is a cheap piece of hardware that doesn't work very well + a pretty good software solution.
It will appeal to small businesses but is not something large enterprises can depend on. It also lacks any barcode reading functionality.
Joanna D said 4:04PM on 12-02-2009
Wow? A magnetic strip reader? What is this, 1985?
I used to work in a store and every bank declines cards which are swiped. It's such outdated technology and the only reason it's on there is for ATMs I guess. Why is Apple putting this in their "new" technology?
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Dave said 4:35PM on 12-02-2009
No sure what you are talking about. I use my card and its magnetic strip daily... multiple times a day sometimes. What other way is there to use a card at a store? I have only had people enter the numbers manually when the magnetic strip does not work properly, like when my card is old and abused. So I really don't see how "every bank declines cards which are swiped"....?
Joanna D said 4:45PM on 12-02-2009
Every credit/debit card has a chip. You put the chip into the reader and you enter your PIN. If you don't do this your bank declines the card. Magnetic strips are so insecure, hence why they were replaced.
airmanchairman said 5:02PM on 12-02-2009
Oh, please Joanna D, you don't live in a cocoon do you?
Chip and PIN has not been implemented everywhere.
At least not in the USA.
Dave said 6:13PM on 12-02-2009
In the San Francisco Bay Area there is no chip/PIN method. No place that I have visited in the US uses this chip/PIN method.
mechdrew said 7:29PM on 12-02-2009
I had one of those lame PayPass RFID cards, but never used it. My three credit cards and three debit cards don't have chip. Welcome to USA, where people actually read the articles and can comment with some kind of authority.