Just last week, PayPal launched some major improvements to its iOS and Android apps that would make it easier than ever for its users to pay for stuff while they’re out in the real world. One feature allows retailers to charge their customers if they just so happen to be enjoying a lovely brunch in their establishment. To help make the process even more easy, PayPal is announcing PayPal Beacon.
PayPal Beacon is a low-energy USB-powered Bluetooth LE receiver that can plug into a retailer’s Point-of-Sale equipment, allowing PayPal app users to automatically check into the establishment once they enter. Users can decide which stores can be added to a list of safe stores for unapproved payments and also allowing you to require approval for other shops. In other words, you have the option of whether or not you completely trust the store, or if you’d prefer to give authorization for a purchase before you leave.
It’ll be some time until you see PayPal Beacon being used at a retailer’s store as PayPal says its Beacon won’t be ready for merchants until next year. Until then, we guess you’re stuck with paying by using cash or a credit card, although this has pretty much been the only way to pay for things for quite some time now.
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