ifoAppleStore's Gary Allen posts a preview at AppleInsider of Apple's new iPod touch-based EasyPay checkout system for its retail stores. The preview comes after last week's news that Apple is beginning the process of rolling out the new devices to replace the existing Windows CE-based EasyPay handheld systems.
The new iPod-touch based system consists of an integrated hard plastic shell housing the iPod touch, a magnetic stripe reader for credit cards and a barcode scanner for scanning product information. The shell also includes a hidden rechargeable battery to power the auxiliary hardware.
Barcode Scanner and Magnetic Stripe Reader
Credit card transactions will reportedly be handled entirely on the EasyPay device, with customers using a stylus to enter their signature electronically on the iPod touch.
Debit customers will need to swipe their cards and enter their PIN numbers at separate terminals located throughout the stores, but the remainder of the checkout process can be handled on the EasyPay device. Cash transactions using the EasyPay device will be rolled out at selected stores over the next six months and will allow sales associates to use the EasyPay system to electronically access any of several cash drawers scattered about the store to complete transactions.
iPhone purchasing and activation has also reportedly been integrated into the new system, allowing sales associates to enter customers' calling plan and add-on selections and permit customers to review and sign the terms and conditions required for iPhone purchases. The system can also be used to process many returns, locating purchase records via the barcode on the customer's receipt, product serial number, customer e-mail address, or credit/debit card number and generating a credit to the customer's account.
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect.
As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes.
The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps.
In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner.
In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
Tuesday April 22, 2025 4:08 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 Pro in a new Sky Blue color, the same color that debuted on the latest M4 MacBook Air models Apple released in March. That's according to the leaker Majin Bu.
Concept mockup from Majin Bu
Writing on his website, Bu claims that "sources close to the supply chain confirm that several iPhone 17 Pro prototypes have been made in various colors, with Sky Blue...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
