Square‘s iconic white reader has been redesigned for the first time since 2010. The reader is now 45% thinner — about the width of the iPhone 5S — and is supposed to have a higher successful swipe rate than the previous model. Wired reports that the device was designed by Jesse Dorogusker, Square’s VP of hardware, who previously had a hand in redesigning Apple’s Lightning connector. The new reader has a slightly longer track, which gives the retailer a better chance at running a successful swipe. It also reportedly contains tapered edges on both ends, rather than just one, to allow cards to be run from either direction. Square made news last week for its somewhat mysterious acquisition of photo-sharing service Viewfinder – or rather, Viewfinder’s engineering talent. See the many dongles that compete with Square here and watch longtime Square customer Blue Bottle Coffee show off the new reader below.
↧