How Square Made Its Own iPad Replacement

Lauren Goode, writing for Wired:

If you know the company Square, it’s probably because you’ve paid in a store using a Square “stand”, a dock that supports a tablet, or you’ve swiped your card through Square Reader, a smartphone dongle that processes payments. These products have a soothing, decidedly Apple-y aesthetic, from the simple dongle to the all-white stand that typically houses an iPad. But since late last year, Square has been quietly selling its own custom-made tablet, the Square Register, a $999, Android-based system. And the company has taken an obsessive approach to designing the product.

There’s a local coffee house I like that recently installed these, and they’re pretty neat. The two-screen design makes sense for a two-person interaction. Also, Square’s Apple Pay support is top-notch — in my experience Square’s Apple Pay readers are more accurate and work faster than the dinguses from their competition.

★ Monday, 18 June 2018