Square, a mobile payments startup founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey released a new version of its Card Case app earlier this month that allows users to pay for goods at certain stores just by saying their name. The app lets users make purchases with their smartphone without taking the device out of their pocket or purse.
How it works
The app uses the geo-fencing technology in Apple’s iOS 5 operating system to recognize when a user is within 100 meters of a Square retailer and, when a user is in range, automatically opend the user’s Square account for that merchant, so long as the “automatic tabs” feature has been enabled for the establishment.
With her Square “tab” already open, the user can then pay for her merchandise just by giving the cashier her name.
Merchant cards can be synced with a business’ Twitter stream. By integrating business’ Twitter streams into the app, users can see if there are any additional deals or discounts. Users can also tweet at a business with any questions, comments or feedback.
“You can pay without ever reaching for your purse, taking out your wallet, or even your phone,” said Megan Quinn, director of products. “It requires no new or unusual customer behavior — you don’t have to wave your phone, or preload money.”
