ANZ launches Android-based payment device

ANZ has released a card payment terminal that runs on Google’s Android mobile platform.

The bank today announced the launch of ANZ BladePay, a handheld payment device runs Android 6.0 and supports third-party applications.

The BladePay is designed to be used in conjunction with point-of-sale systems from NCR, RedCat, H&L, SureFire, Abacus and Shout for Good, with all of the vendors developing applications for the device. The bank said it is also “actively working with a number of other vendor partners.”

The device has a 5-inch display, front- and rear-facing cameras (offering resolutions of 2 megapixels and 8MP, respectively), Wi-Fi and 4G support, Bluetooth connectivity, a barcode scanner, a micro-USB port for charging, and a customisable home screen.

Initially the BladePay will be available to the bank’s merchant customers in the hospitality industry, beginning in March 2017. ANZ said it would offer the BladePay to customers in the retail and B2B sectors shortly after launch.

ANZ said that potential applications for the device could allow customers to split bills, support sending receipts via email or SMS, allow staff clock-on, or offer an ‘order and pay at table’ feature.

“We are routinely told that managing payments is one of the biggest pain points for business owners, yet when we looked at the market we found an opportunity to create a platform that could dramatically change the way our customers do business,” ANZ group executive, Australia, Fred Ohlsson said in a statement.

“ANZ BladePay is a fully integrated and innovative solution that will simplify business operations. What really sets ANZ BladePay apart is the software our vendor partners are developing, which is tailored to our customers’ needs. ANZ BladePay is much more than a secure payments solution, its potential is limitless.”

ANZ is not the first Australian bank to offer an Android-based payment terminal. The Commonwealth Bank in March 2015 launched its ‘Albert’ device. Currently CBA lists more than a dozen apps for the terminal. The bank also offers Emmy and Leo devices that work in conjunction with Android or iPhone handsets.

ANZ recently announced that Gerard Florian, former chief strategy officer of Dimension Data’s global cloud business unit, would join the bank in January as group executive, technology, with chief information officer Scott Collary leaving last month.

Earlier this year ANZ became the first major Australian bank to support the Android Pay platform for mobile payments. Currently it is also the only one of the Big Four banks to support Apple Pay.