Subsequent to Apple’s announcement that its iPhone Tap to Pay service for merchants and shoppers is now in Canada, payments provider Square has confirmed that its sellers will be among the first businesses in Canada to try it out.
Available within the Square Point of Sale, Square for Retail, and Square Appointments iOS apps, Tap to Pay on iPhone lets sellers accept contactless payments directly from their iPhone with no additional hardware or payment terminal required and at no additional cost.
Any Square merchant with a compatible iPhone can accept contactless payments by opening the Square POS, Square for Retail, or Square Appointments app, adding the transaction, and presenting their iPhone to the buyer. The buyer completes the payment by holding a contactless payment method such as a contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or other digital wallet, near the seller’s iPhone.
Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone technology uses the built-in features of iPhone to keep data private and secure. When a payment is processed, Apple doesn’t store card numbers on the device or on Apple servers.
“My clients and I are really enjoying Tap to Pay on iPhone,” says Christian Linsley, hair stylist and owner of Only Child private studio in Saskatoon, SK. “The convenience factor is amazing, especially since I sometimes work on-location. It’s nice to be able to just pack up my phone and go — there’s no need to pack a bunch of cords or a separate machine.”
Tap to Pay on iPhone has already been part of the Square ecosystem in the U.S. after it was made available in late 2022, followed by Australia and the U.K. Businesses that have most benefited, says Square, include mobile professionals like tradespeople and caterers who can securely accept contactless payments onsite at their project locations; retailers that have been able to speed up, or even eliminate lines, allowing customers to complete a purchase from anywhere in the store; and hairstylists and beauty professionals who can let customers pay for their services right from the chair.
“With Tap to Pay on iPhone, we are further levelling the playing field for businesses of all sizes to be able to start, run and grow,” says Saumil Mehta, Head of Product at Square. “The Canadian business landscape is competitive and tech savvy, always on the lookout for solutions that can make operating their business more efficient. Tap To Pay on iPhone helps reduce some of the barriers to entry for new businesses and enables existing sellers to create new ways to sell with nothing more than their iPhone and Square’s software. They can get set up in minutes and begin making sales in seconds.”
Square sellers and new merchants can begin using Tap to Pay on iPhone today on an iPhone XS or later running the latest version of iOS, by downloading the Square POS, Square for Retail, or Square Appointments app from the Apple App Store.