The Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA), a Barclay’s subsidiary, are set to offer a mobile payment device. The ‘Absa Payment Pebble’ plugs in to a 3.5mm audio input on any mobile smartphone or tablet and uses an app to turn the device into a mobile POS payment terminal.
The card reader, which is the size and shape of a pebble, will be provided as a value added service to all small business owners and merchants across South Africa from early 2013.
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Arrie Rautenbach, Absa Head of Retail Markets, said: "It is a game changing innovation with the potential to transform the way in which entrepreneurs can safely accept offsite payments."
In the UK a large number of companies have been offering products that turn mobile devices into POS terminals: WorldPay, iZettle and Inuit have all launched devices. ABSA hopes to steal a march on the competition by being the first to offer this technology in South Africa.
