After not hearing much hype from Square for the last few months, the pioneers of mobile credit card readers today announced an updated and streamlined version of their popular device. The new reader is 45 percent thinner than the previous version, making it the thinnest mobile card reader available in the industry!
“We engineered purpose-built components to create both excellent performance and beautiful design, without compromise,” said Jesse Dorogusker, head of Hardware at Square.
If Dorogusker’s name sounds familiar, it’s likely because he was the brains behind the development of the Lightning connector for Apple.
Standout features of the new Square Reader include:
- A custom magnetic readhead and spring. Thinner and more accurate than the alternatives, the readhead parses redundant data from credit cards to ensure successful swipes.
- Custom electronics in a single chip. The reader is powered by the phone into which it is plugged, eliminating the need for a bulky battery and increasing life and reliability.
- Improved communications protocols and a custom audio plug. The Square Reader is compatible with more devices than ever before.
- The thinnest mobile card reader on the market.
The new card reader will be available in the new year in approximately 30,000 retail locations that carry Square, but if you want to get your hands on one before you ring in 2014, you can get it today at square.com, and it’s free to anyone that signs up for a Square account.
Source: MarketWire
