Apple’s decision to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack on its iPhones no doubt upset many users. However it not only affected consumers, but it also affected businesses who sold accessories that used the 3.5mm headphone jack, such as Square whose iPhone credit card reader used to connect via the headphone jack.
This did not render the reader useless, although more inconvenient as it would require the use of a dongle. Thankfully for businesses that do use Square’s credit card reader, you’ll be pleased to learn that the company has since launched a new reader that will connect to iPhones using the Lightning connector.
According to Square, “The reader includes everything you love about Square — fast setup, no commitments, clear pricing, fast deposits, serious security, and no charging necessary — but it’s now compatible with Apple Lightning devices, with easier, more accurate swiping.” Of course the downside here is that you can’t charge your iPhone and use the reader at the same time, so that’s something to consider.
It should also be pointed out that this reader only accepts swiping, which means that chip-based payments aren’t support, and neither are NFC-based payments, such as Apple Pay. However if you’re fine with all of that and would love to get your hands on the updated reader, you’ll be able to purchase one now via Square’s website for $10 (only for eligible merchants).