Small businesses might soon be able to accept payments using their phones. The final version of Apple's mobile operating system, which is expected to be released this spring, could be the time when the feature is rolled out, according to the report. Apple has been working on the service since 2020, when it purchased a Canadian startup known for developing a technology that turns a phone into a payment portal.
Mobeewave's technology only needs an app and a phone to work, unlike services like Square that require an external hardware. The user simply has to type in the amount they want to charge, and their customer only needs to tap their credit card onto the back of the device. It's not clear if the built-in iPhone feature will work, since Apple declined the invitation to comment.
Sources couldn't say if the feature will be part of Apple Pay. Since Apple purchased Mobeewave, the team developing the feature has been working with the payments division. At this point, it's not known if Apple is launching the service with an existing payment network or not.
Mobeewave collaborated with SAMSUNG to turn its phones into payment terminals. They piloted the feature in Canada and even gave the company's point-of-sale service a wide release in the country.
The article originally appeared on Engadget.
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