‘Apple has acquired company for card payments via NFC on smartphone’

Apple has reportedly acquired Mobeewave. That company makes software to use smartphones with NFC as a payment terminal. In addition, users can make payments by holding a credit or debit card up to the phone.

According to financial news agency Bloomberg, Apple has paid about $ 100 million to acquire Mobeewave. The Canadian start-up has “dozens” of employees, according to sources from Bloomberg. They would all work for Apple after the acquisition. They will continue to do so in Montreal, where Mobeewave is located.

It is not known what Apple’s plans are with the acquisition. Apple could use the technology to make iPhones suitable as a payment terminal. Apple’s smartphones have been equipped with the nfc chip that is required for this since 2014. The use of a telephone as a payment terminal can be useful for small businesses, but the technique could also be used for payments among consumers.

Samsung already worked with Mobeewave. Last year, the South Korean manufacturer in Canada conducted a test with card payments via smartphones. Samsung also invested in the company. It is not clear whether that cooperation will continue after the takeover.

Apple and Mobeewave have not released anything about the acquisition themselves. Apple regularly acquires companies without providing details. CEO Tim Cook said in an interview last year that Apple makes an acquisition every two to three weeks on average.