Commerce

Eight 'Commerce' stories January 2013 - December 2015

Target reportedly developing its own Apple Pay-like mobile wallet service

Zac Hall Dec 18 2015 - 7:12 am PT

apple-pay-clover

American retail chain Target is said to be developing its own mobile payment service that would compete with Apple Pay, according to the latest Reuters report this morning. Target’s mobile wallet service is described as being in the early stages of development with a possible launch possibly planned for sometime next year. Like other retailer-specific mobile wallets, Target’s mobile wallet would let customers pay for goods through a smartphone app.

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Square debuts new schedule booking Appointments app for iPhone

Zac Hall Aug 27 2015 - 11:10 am PT

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Square Appointments

The San Francisco-based company Square has always focused on using technology to make commerce tools accessible to businesses of all sizes, and their latest app adds another resource to their growing lineup of mobile payment solutions.

Square Appointments for iOS is an iPhone-only app that lets clients book appointments and businesses manage schedules. Perks include appointment reminders for clients through push notifications and appointment history for businesses. Square highlights these specific features in their new app:

Manage appointments on the go: Set up and edit your appointments anywhere your business takes you.
Carry all your clients with you: Access and edit your client profiles.
Accept appointments instantly: Accept or decline appointments directly through your iPhone notifications screen.
Complete payments anywhere: Check clients out directly on your iPhone seamlessly through the Square app.

Businesses can use the new Appointments app even if they don’t process payments payments with Square.

Square Appointments is available for free on the App Store and joins Square Register, Cash, and Analytics.

eBay discontinuing several mobile apps including Fashion and Motors for iOS

Zac Hall Jul 27 2015 - 12:06 pm PT

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Commerce company eBay announced today that it will soon retire several of its mobile apps including ones on iPhone and iPad. eBay’s primary iOS app will not be going anyway, however, and several of the discontinued apps will eventually see their features appear in the main eBay app.

In an effort to simply the shopping experience, eBay says it will be shutting down its Valet, Fashion, and Motors apps soon and later integrate their features into eBay’s primary app.
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Apple Pay rewards program coming at WWDC as Target wants to add support

Chance Miller May 27 2015 - 5:11 pm PT

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apple-pay-uk

According to a new report from The New York Times, Apple will, as expected, announce new details and enhancements for Apple Pay at WWDC next month. The report, citing two people briefed on the product, claims that Apple plans to add a rewards program to Apple Pay.

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Samsung acquires Apple Pay competitor LoopPay to accelerate its mobile commerce effort

Chance Miller Feb 18 2015 - 1:00 pm PT

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From 9to5Google:

Screen Shot 2015-02-18 at 3.54.57 PM

Samsung announced in a press release this evening that it has purchased LoopPay, an Apple Pay-like mobile payment company. LoopPay turns existing magnetic stripe card readers into secure, contactless receivers. This means that, in an ideal world, LoopPay would be available in nearly every retailer that accepts magnetic strip cards. A specific acquisition price is unclear at this point.

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Square Cash now lets you send money over text messages, add notes to payments, more

Zac Hall Aug 26 2014 - 10:38 am PT

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Square launched its app Cash last fall making the process of sending money from your bank to other people over email, and today the company is introducing the next major version of its app. Square Cash 2.0 introduces a list of new features including the ability to now send a transaction over text messaging in addition to email and attach notes to payments for adding context to a transaction. Below you can see the full list of changes in the new version.

What’s New in Version 2.0

Everything is better in Cash 2.0!

• Send cash to any mobile phone number via text message.
• Faster, optimized sending interface.
• Import your address book for quick contact selection.
• Add a note to your payments.
• Pick a profile picture.
• Choose push notifications, text messages, or email notifications.
• Manage all of your email addresses and phone numbers in one place.
• Quickly approve incoming requests from a push notification or text message.
• Invite friends via text message and get $1 when they join.

Square Cash 2.0 is available for free on the App Store.

eBay’s iPhone app gets new interface, quick sign-up with Drivers License scanning, iPad app gets enhancements

Mark Gurman May 16 2013 - 9:11 am PT

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eBay’s iPhone application has received a significant update that affects both the user-interface and some core features.

Notably, the application’s interface has been tweaked for simplicity and features an improved bidding process for soon-to-be-ending auctions, larger photo views, and the ability to checkout multiple items simultaneously in the United States and United Kingdom.

Perhaps the most interesting and handy feature, though, is the ability to quickly sign-up for an eBay account by scanning your Drivers License with the iPhone’s camera. eBay owns high-profile barcode scanning technology, so perhaps that is used to make that new feature a reality. The free update is available on iTunes.

eBay’s (separate) iPad app also got a notable update today: release notes below.

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Report: Apple’s rumored R&D center confirmed to open in Shanghai this summer

Jordan Kahn Jan 28 2013 - 8:15 am PT

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Following reports earlier this month that CEO Tim Cook’s most recent visit to China included talks about a new R&D center in China, new reports have claimed the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce confirmed the facility will open this summer. Today’s report came from Chinese news website yicai.com and was translated by BrightWire:

Apple has registered three firms in three buildings in Pudong, Shanghai, and one of them will be dedicated to procurement management and R&D, according to documents on the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce’s website.

(via MacRumors)