Ingenico Group recently announced their partnership with Google to produce the remarkable Axium D7 – a smart terminal that allows the user to access the Google Play Store, including: Chrome, YouTube and Google Maps – with a similar user experience to an Android smartphone or tablet.
The Axium D7 acheived both Google Mobile Services and PCI-PTS v5 certifications – the world’s first POS terminal to do so.
The purpose of the Android-based POS is to serve the growing demand from merchants who want to provide more services to their customers through a single device.
I caught up with Guillaume Andre, Head of Marketing, Ingenico Northern Europe, to discuss the implications of a tech giant-payments provider collaboration-led future, and how Ingenico and Google might continue to innovate the POS system in the future.
What was behind the decision to integrate the Android platform with a POS terminal?
Today, there are hundreds of millions of devices running on Android, supporting millions of apps across the world. Developers know it inside out and we’ve seen it evolve into one of the most popular and versatile platforms on the market.
For consumers, the advantages are obvious, but merchants too are using Android-based apps to run operational tasks such as staffing management, loyalty schemes and sales campaigns. A smart Android POS, connected to the cloud, is therefore a game changer for in-store merchants.
By combining an open Android environment with the Ingenico secure payment environment, the Axium ecosystem offers the best of both worlds to merchants.
The user experience mirrors what we’ve come to expect on smartphones and tablets, while for the first time, the Axium D7 removes all the usual friction created by providing secure payment as part of a POS device. Merchants and POS providers can use it to deploy new applications for sales and for business management, as easily as if it was on a smartphone.
Is there potential for more Google applications to be integrated with a POS?
Absolutely, the GMS (Google Mobile Services) certification means that other Google apps can be integrated on the ePOS system. That unlocks a world of possibilities for the entire commerce ecosystem, acting as an innovation enabler for businesses that are creating cloud-based services for merchants.
How else could the power of applications and platforms created by the likes of Google be implemented into the instore experience?
The intimacy between payment and ePOS created by Axium offers a unique opportunity for small and medium businesses.
Across the board, we’re seeing the technologies that were once exclusive to major retailers become far more widely available. Businesses of all sizes can now, for instance, offer compelling loyalty programs or create click and collect options online.
Are there any plans to feature biometric technology in Ingenico/Google POS terminals?
Ingenico Group has been investing in biometric technologies since the early 2000’s. Every year we deliver thousands of payment terminals featuring finger print readers, supporting the delivery of pensions and benefits to the unbanked population.
Most recently, we have developed a proof of concept in which we leverage a camera embedded into one of our products to accept an EMV transaction. The cardholder authentication is performed through facial recognition instead of a PIN code.
Is collaboration with the tech giants the future of consumer payments?
The boundaries between the consumer and business worlds are blurring. Collaboration between tech leaders is key to delivering innovation across a wide range of markets and sectors.
Nowhere is this more relevant than in the world of commerce and as the global leader in payment acceptance, Ingenico has a long history of partnering with the world’s most recognisable tech brands.
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