Goodbye, Bluetooth: Shopify Introduces Native All-In-One Hardware System

We are not shy about being all-in on Shopify POS. Having one platform with a best of class POS and a best of class online store means one unified view of the customer, one unified view of the business, and no painful attempts at stitching various different incompatible systems together.

The same ‘best of everything in one platform’ philosophy is now coming to the hardware side of Shopify POS as well, with the release of new, first party hardware from Shopify! We were lucky enough to get our hands on an early version of the new POS Go from Shopify , and we’re really excited about what it means for merchants.?

First, let’s talk about what we love most: no more bluetooth! The two main hardware accessories for Shopify POS (the barcode scanner and the credit card reader) are fully baked in and native to the new POS Go hardware from Shopify. This means one thing to charge, no headaches around pairing or connectivity, and no more ‘which POS does this barcode scanner go with’ goose chases.?

The device’s form factor is close to that of a large cell phone, and feels rugged and reliable. Shopify tells us it has gorilla glass and all day battery, along with the standard wifi for connecting to Shopify. The built-in barcode scanner is good for both 1d and 2d barcodes, and the credit card reader accepts tap, chip, and even swipe. It’s a good size, but keep in mind it’s more of a portable form factor; it may not be a great fit for a fixed POS station where a tablet size is a better fit. We would be surprised though if we don’t see a larger version for fixed stations in the very near future.

We’re also excited because the built-in barcode scanner hints at greater things to come around inventory receiving, though no official releases or news on exactly how that might work just yet.?

What shocked us most was what a great price point the POS Go is at – considering you get a barcode scanner, card reader, and the device itself to run the POS, $399 seems like an exceptional value. I’d consider this device a no-brainer if you’re looking for a portable form factor for POS.?

Looking at this device vs an Android or iOS device, and trying to decide what to get? Here’s our quick breakdown:

New POS Go from Shopify

Pros:

• The price point is impossible to beat when you factor in the device, barcode scanner, and card reader are all included
• No need to lock down other apps or web browsers; employees can only use the device for Shopify
• Shopify will likely build exclusive features for the POS Go that other devices may not get, particularly around the barcode scanner
• As the device doesn’t support other apps or web browsing; attack vectors for malware are extremely limited.
• Device feels solid and reliable

Cons:

• Since you can’t install antivirus (or any other app), we recommend locking down tile editing to only managers so employees can’t browse the web. This isn’t specific to the POS Go, but as Go likely runs on Android or similar, keeping web browsing locked down will be important to ensure employees don’t click a bad link.
• Corporate IT departments may prefer to use an MDM with Android or iOS devices to manage updates, security policies, etc., which at this time doesn’t seem to be supported for the POS Go

iPad/iPhone/Android

Pros:?

• Ability to add MDM (mobile device management) software
• Ability to run other apps besides Shopify POS, as well as access the web browser (this may also be a con, if you don’t want your employees doing those things and don’t want to hassle with locking down the device)

Cons:

• Requires separate, bluetooth connected accessories, that have to be charged and carried separately, which can be very clunky
• Unless you spend the time to carefully lock down the devices, they can be used by employees for various other non-work activities which may not be ideal
• Greater target for theft
• More expensive
• For Android specifically, due to the huge number of Android device types that are available, greater chances for bugginess since Shopify can’t realistically test / patch for all of them or their various screen sizes

Just like Android and iOS, POS Go supports custom apps and extensions. Our team would love to help with your new store launch, migration from a legacy POS platform, Shopify POS customizations, or any other Shopify help you may need. Email us at [email protected] for more information!

Photos courtesy of Shopify.