From TechCentral
Durban-based Emerge Mobile, the ambitious mobile payments startup, has launched its smartphone-based mobile payments system. Similar to US-based Square, the payment card acceptance solution allows users to accept card payments using their smartphones.
iKhokha, a Cape Town based financial services brand created by Emerge Mobile, has been named as the inaugural go-to-market vehicle for Emerge Mobile’s device, called The Edge.
The device is a secure and compact chip-and-Pin card reader that plugs into iOS or Android smartphones, and is coupled with the iKhokha mobile application.
Emerge Mobile was founded by the father and son team of Clive Putman (who is technology director) and Matt Putman (MD), along with Ramsay Daly (marketing director).
Emerge Mobile’s prototype M-POS terminal docked with an iPhone
The Emerge Mobile solution is the second such payment system being developed by a South African start-up. Thumbzup, founded by well-known technology entrepreneur Stafford Masie, recently launched a smartphone-based payments system, the Payment Pebble, in collaboration with banking group Absa.
In conjunction with the mobile application, The Edge turns a smartphone into a secure mobile point-of-sale (MPOS) terminal, allowing merchants to process chip and Pin and magstripe, debit and credit card payments as well as selected mobile wallet transactions.
Read more at TechCentral