What Is Pin on Glass?

Card Transactions

Cashless transactions have made it easy for businesses and customers to deal with money in a much more secure and efficient manner. The most common methods used for cashless transactions are credit and debit cards. Since almost all businesses today accept payments through cards there is no need to carry physical currency.

Any transaction needs a mechanism to authenticate the payment. To this end, each card has a unique PIN associated with it that you dial in to initiate the payment. The card is inserted into a card-reading machine that processes the payment request to the concerned bank and initiates the payment. This makes the process quick and easy without the need to carry and use physical money. In addition to this, all transactions are digitally recorded, which helps with better tracking and identification of fraud.

Pin on Glass Vs Pin on COTS Vs Pin on Mobile?

Pin on Glass technology evolved from traditional keypad-based card machines. People often confuse this technology with Pin on Mobile (PoM) or Pin on COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf). Although the two terms are usually regarded as interchangeable, there are certain differences in the way they operate.

Pin on Glass doesn’t differ much from keypad-based card readers in terms of how it works.

A traditional card machine works with a SIM and PIN system and has a built-in keypad on the machine. A Pin on Glass device has a touchscreen interface that accepts PIN input on the screen and hence the name Pin on Glass.

A recent evolution of Pin on Glass is Pin on Mobile (PoM) or Pin on COTS. This is a much more recent technology that targets smaller merchants. These small merchants might not be able to afford expensive hardware at all checkout points. Hence, instead of spending to acquire expensive card readers, the merchant can simply download a payment processing software application on their smartphone or tablet. The device then reads the card information using a small attachment and the customer can enter their PIN right on the mobile screen.

Why Pin on Glass then?

Traditional card machines work using a hardware-based PIN entry and security system where the customer has to enter their PIN on the keypad. Pin on Glass (PoG) is also a hardware-based system, but instead of the keypad, it has a touchscreen interface where the customer can enter their PIN. This system initiates payment requests and validates PIN using its built-in software. This offers an extra level of protection as it eliminates the possibility of frauds taking place through hardware tampering of the keypad. The interface also makes it easier to use than traditional card machines.

Pin on Mobile (PoM) takes this a step further by eliminating the need for expensive machines, replacing it with smaller devices that can connect to Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) smartphones. Here the merchant simply has to download an application and install it on their smartphone or tablet device. The customer can enter their PIN right on the screen of the mobile device. This is a software-based solution that validates PIN and payments right inside the application making it a lot more affordable for small businesses. These software-based solutions undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they are as secure, if not better than regular card machines.

However, PIN on COTS still has a major concern which is the vulnerability of consumer smartphone devices. These devices are prone to hacking and tampering which make them insecure. One way in which these concerns can be eradicated is to invest and implement mobile payment security systems in order to provide peace of mind for users and to eliminate fraud; as the demand increases, this will become something which becomes inevitable.

The Future

It is clear that the world demands faster and more secure payment methods. In today’s scenario, Pin on Glass Technology is easily the best available option. More businesses, small and large alike can adopt this technology to receive payments thus making it more practical, simple and secure for customers to shop. Pin on Glass technology is definitely a huge game-changer for businesses all over the world.