How to choose the right iPad as your point-of-sale
Since its inception in 2010, the iPad has gone through many iterations.
Apple didn’t create a product that would satisfy just as a home entertainment device, but one that could potentially act as a laptop replacement for your business needs. From the multi-purpose iPad to the high-performing iPad Pro and the various sizes each come in, the choice consumers have when selecting an iPad is almost overbearing.
At Hike, we’re often asked by our users whether our point-of-sale works on their iPad, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each iPad. To answer this simply, Hike POS works on any iPad – as it requires minimal operating power to function properly.
There are however, pros and cons to each device, which we’ll outline here to help you decide which iPad POS is best for you and your retailing needs.
iPad Pro
The first thing you’ll notice when looking at an iPad Pro is that it comes in two different sizes:
- 5-inch iPad Pro
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Beyond the screen sizes, it’s important to note that the technical specifications on each are exactly the same. But there are several distinctions to make on screen size that are important to consider.
The first being, would a larger screen make things easier for your staff and complement your in-store aesthetics, or does the smaller iPad Pro offer you greater portability when carrying around and selling on-the-go? Consider also that a larger iPad Pro also means an increase in weight, with the iPad Pro 12.9-inch coming in at 1.57lbs. Whilst not an issue if you plan on keeping it stationary, using a 12.9-inch iPad Pro to sell on-the-go, could prove cumbersome.
Aside from that point of difference however, the iPad Pro is a brilliant piece of technology that utilises an A10X processor and 4GB RAM for high-performance and faster speeds. To put simply, this means that you can have more apps open at once without any slowdown when switching between applications. This is particularly useful if you want Hike and one of your accounting or eCommerce applications open concurrently.
Other features include:
Vibrant colours: With the iPad Pro’s retina display and True Tone colour-adjusting display, your POS will look positively dazzling. With a faster refresh rate, your products will standout to your staff and customers. Should also note that the bigger the size of your iPad Pro screen, the bigger your products will look.
Security: Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner, has become a staple of Apple’s tablet and iPhone range, and provides retailers with biometric security. The fingerprint scanner is extremely responsive, and setup only takes minutes.
Battery life: With an impressive quote battery life of 10 hours, the iPad Pro can take you through a whole day of retailing before you need to charge it again. Perfect for those on-the-go sellers, that don’t have a power source actively available.
There are however, noticeable drawbacks which prevents the iPad Pro from being a true laptop replacement. The most noticeable admission is an out of the box, tactile keyboard. Apple’s Smart Keyboard can be bought as an optional accessory, and attaches itself to the iPad quite easily, but does not contain a touchpad. This means that there will be quite a bit of back and forth between your iPad and keyboard, should you choose to pair them both, when it comes to selling items.
iPad
After discontinuing the iPad Air 2, Apple re-launched their most affordable tablet as the iPad. Available in only one size, 9.7-inch, the iPad has been designed with personal entertainment usage in mind.
Coming in at 7.5 millimeters, the 2017 iPad model is a little thicker than the iPad Air 2 (6.1mm thickness), but the difference in portability is negligible. Indeed, the slimmer size in comparison to the iPad Pro, makes this iPad the most portable of Apple’s range, weighing just 1.03lbs.
It also improves from the Air 2 in many ways, including its A9 processor, and battery life that like the iPad Pro can go 10 hours without charge. The faster A9 chipset, is particularly useful when speaking about the iPad in terms of playing games, and web-browsing capabilities, as it highlights the iPad’s primary function.
All this points to the iPad as an excellent content consumption device, but it’s performance on a POS system, namely Hike, is also well-regarded.
That is not to say that there are drawbacks as the iPad’s toned-down technical specifications (compared to the iPad Pro) means that certain productivity tasks, like multi-tasking will take a hit because of it. Yet as a platform in which to seamlessly work Hike POS, the iPad works to a quality standard.
Note: Hike has an integrated iPad Cash Register App that’s available to download on the App Store, which was specifically designed for Hike on the iPad.
Cellular and/or Wi-Fi
Much like size, iPads give you the option of selecting a Cellular and/or Wi-Fi enabled iPad. Selecting a Wi-Fi only iPad will mean your store’s iPad can only connected through a Wi-Fi hotspot. A Wi-Fi/Cellular iPad model, will connect to the internet through a mobile connection provided you have signed up for a mobile data plan.
Selecting the right iPad may seem like a daunting process, but know that when tossing up between an iPad (or older iPad Air) and iPad Pro, both are fully compatible with Hike. There are of course, advantages and disadvantages of each, as we’ve labelled out above, but those are more specified to your store’s specific needs.
Know what your store, staff, and even yourself will need out of your iPad before your purchase one for your POS first.