South African mobile payments startup SnapScan has announced the launch of SnapBeacons, which allows users to make payments using beacons that detect their location.
The SnapScan app now allows such payments at beacon-enabled merchants, meaning users in these locations can make payments without even scanning a SnapCode.
SnapBeacons is already available at more than 40 SnapScan merchants in Cape Town and Johannesburg, detecting the location of a user and allowing them to simply click “pay here” in the app to initiate the transaction.
The Cape Town-based startup said with more and more customers and merchants making and receiving payments using smartphones, it was “constantly” looking for ways to make the payment process simpler.
“We are excited to announce the release of SnapBeacon payments,” said co-founder Kobus Ehlers.
“We’ve always set out to make payments faster and simpler. With beacon technology opening up new possibilities in the mobile payments space, we were keen to stay at the forefront of these developments in the industry.”
The startup has released a number of innovations recently, offering fingerprint payments through TouchID on iPhones, and email receipts. Disrupt Africa reported in November SnapScan had partnered with the City of Cape Town to allow car owners in the central business district (CBD) can pay for parking using the app.
Beacon technology is becoming more popular in South Africa. Earlier this week, Disrupt Africa featured another local startup, ZAbeacons, which is working on providing physical stores with beacons that allow them to communicate with shoppers via smartphones.
