Square Introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone for Canadian Entrepreneurs

Square Introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone for Canadian Entrepreneurs

By Nishang Narayan

Published on May 28, 2024

Square, the renowned financial services and mobile payment company, has unveiled Tap to Pay on iPhone in Canada, marking a significant advancement in contactless payment technology. Available within the Square Point of Sale, Square for Retail, and Square Appointments iOS apps, this feature allows sellers to process payments directly from their iPhones, eliminating the need for additional payment hardware.

Tap to Pay on iPhone simplifies the transaction process for both new and established businesses. By utilizing Apple’s secure payment technology, which ensures that no card numbers are stored on the device or Apple servers, Square offers a reliable and secure solution for business transactions. This functionality is particularly beneficial for mobile professionals such as tradespeople and caterers, as well as retailers and beauty professionals, enabling them to accept payments efficiently at any location.

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The integration of Apple's contactless payment technology with Square’s user-friendly software provides a seamless checkout experience. Customers can complete their purchases swiftly by using contactless credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, or other digital wallets. This method not only enhances the customer experience but also aligns with the increasing consumer preference for contactless payments.

Since its initial launch in the US in late 2022, followed by expansions to Australia and the United Kingdom, Tap to Pay on iPhone has become an integral component of Square’s ecosystem. It offers a versatile and adaptable payment solution suitable for various business environments.

Saumil Mehta, Head of Product at Square, emphasized the benefits of this innovation, stating, "With Tap to Pay on iPhone, we are further levelling the playing field for businesses of all sizes to be able to start, run, and grow. It helps reduce some of the barriers to entry for new businesses and enables existing sellers to create new ways to sell with nothing more than their iPhone and Square’s software."

Canadian entrepreneurs can start using Tap to Pay on iPhone today by downloading the Square POS, Square for Retail, or Square Appointments app from the Apple App Store. This feature is compatible with iPhone XS models or later running the latest version of iOS. For more information, visit Square's official Tap to Pay page.

About Square:

Square, Inc. is a financial services, merchant services aggregator, and mobile payment company based in San Francisco, California. The company aims to simplify commerce through technology, providing tools to help businesses start, run, and grow.


MakeMyTrip Launches Multilingual Generative AI Trip Assistant for Conversational Travel Planning

MakeMyTrip Launches Multilingual Generative AI Trip Assistant for Conversational Travel Planning

By Nishang Narayan

Published on August 9, 2025

MakeMyTrip has launched its multilingual Generative AI-powered Trip Planning Assistant, designed to transform how travellers plan and book their journeys by enabling real-time, conversational interactions.

Currently in beta, the assistant is built on an agentic AI framework and supports travel categories including flights, hotels, holidays, ground transport, visas, and foreign exchange. It allows users to engage in back-and-forth conversations through both voice and text, making the experience more natural and accessible.

Initially available in English and Hindi, the platform will expand to include more Indian languages after user feedback and further testing. The assistant is capable of handling both open-ended and specific queries, such as “Where can I go in August for a relaxing holiday with my children?” or “Mujhe Udaipur mein 3-star hotel 3500 ke budget mein chahiye”, providing results based on live availability, pricing, and preferences.

Unlike traditional travel tools that stop at suggestions, the MakeMyTrip assistant allows users to move from discovery to booking within the same conversation. The company aims to make travel planning more intuitive for non-English-speaking audiences and to improve accessibility in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO of MakeMyTrip, said: “This assistant converts intent into action, particularly for users from the Bharat heartland who have been underserved by previous online travel interfaces.”

Group CTO Sanjay Mohan highlighted the platform’s technical sophistication, noting that it uses multi-agent architecture, custom language models, and verification protocols to provide accurate, real-time responses. The assistant builds on MakeMyTrip’s previous AI-led innovations, including Fare Lock, Zero Cancellation, voice-led support, and predictive rail booking tools.

Future updates will add image and video-based interactions as well as semantic search, enabling travellers to plan trips using visual and abstract inputs for more personalised recommendations.

The launch reinforces MakeMyTrip’s commitment to investing in AI infrastructure to create a highly responsive, multilingual platform capable of supporting complex travel decisions.


Meet Chai Magic: Your New Best Friend for Brewing Chai

Meet Chai Magic: Your New Best Friend for Brewing Chai

By Hariharan U

Published on July 31, 2025

Wonderchef has introduced something every chai lover will want in their kitchen "Chai Magic", the world’s first fully automatic tea maker built just for Indian-style tea. The launch, hosted in Kolkata, saw the presence of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Mr. Ravi Saxena, co-founders of the brand, as they showcased what might just be the future of chai-making.

How It Works

 All it takes is loading your ingredients—tea, spices, water, and milk—into the machine, pressing a button, and letting Chai Magic handle the rest. Milk gets added at just the right moment, and the tea brews to perfection. Once it’s done, the machine switches off on its own. That’s right—no more burnt milk or tea spills.

"Chai Magic brings tradition and technology together. It makes everyday tea-making simple, stress-free, and delightful," said Chef Sanjeev Kapoor during the live demo.

He added, "You can add any masala—ginger, clove, pepper, saffron—and Chai Magic will brew it just the way you like it. It’s consistent, hands-free, and honestly, a joy to use."

Mr. Ravi Saxena, CEO of Wonderchef, called it a “magical appliance”, built for daily use in Indian homes. “It’s a product rooted in our tea culture but powered by modern convenience,” he said.

Coming Soon Near You

 Chai Magic will be available across retail stores and Wonderchef’s website in the coming weeks.

New Store Launch in Kolkata

 Wonderchef also marked the launch of its 31st exclusive store—and the first in East India—at City Centre Mall, Salt Lake, Kolkata. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor inaugurated the outlet, part of the brand’s plan to double its store count over the next two years.

 About Wonderchef
Founded in 2009, Wonderchef is known for its premium cookware and kitchen appliances. With over 600 products, it has built a strong presence both in India and globally—spanning 22,000+ retail outlets, 80,000+ women entrepreneurs, and availability in 25 countries.

This new launch adds one more feather to their innovation-first approach, making everyday cooking smarter, easier, and a little more magical.


Invisible Infrastructure: Reimagining Security in Hospitality Spaces

Invisible Infrastructure: Reimagining Security in Hospitality Spaces

By Author

Published on July 29, 2025

In luxury hospitality, the guest experience is meticulously crafted to feel effortless. Yet, behind the polished marble floors and ambient lighting lies an invisible yet vital layer — security. When done right, it’s not just a system; it’s an ecosystem of trust that operates quietly in the background, ensuring safety without ever disrupting elegance.

Today, hotel security has evolved beyond conventional surveillance. It’s not about how many cameras you install — it’s about where, why, and how they integrate into the environment. Smart surveillance strategies combine analytics with human insight, mapping guest behavior, anticipating pressure points, and aligning seamlessly with the tempo of operations. Think of it as an unseen concierge — alert, adaptive, and always one step ahead.

Access control, too, has become a sophisticated architecture of trust. Whether it’s guest keycards, staff movement, or vendor logistics, every access point is an opportunity to blend efficiency with discretion. The best frameworks balance hierarchy with hospitality — offering layered security that respects both guest privacy and staff autonomy.

But even the most intelligent infrastructure is only as strong as the people who operate it. Hotels that foster a proactive security culture — through training, simulations, and clearly defined accountability — gain an unmatched edge in both daily operations and crisis management. In such environments, security is not just protection; it’s empowerment.

Importantly, security should never be a generic overlay. It must reflect the soul of the brand. A wellness retreat in the hills may need subtle, almost invisible systems, while a corporate hotel in the heart of a city might benefit from visible, high-tech deterrents. Every hotel has a story and its security design should narrate it with purpose.

This is where independent expertise becomes invaluable. Too often, security is bundled into IT or MEP contracts as an afterthought. In reality, it deserves its own voice — one that understands physical risk, guest psychology, operational rhythms, and architectural intent. A seasoned security consultant can decode these variables and craft bespoke, scalable systems that serve both safety and sophistication.

Col Deepak Kajla, a techno-security expert with over 22 years of military and corporate experience, offers exactly this level of insight. His unique approach blends strategic thinking with hands-on implementation, helping hospitality brands design security that is intuitive, unobtrusive, and deeply effective. From five-star properties to eco-resorts, he brings clarity, control, and creativity to every project — transforming security from a backend function into a seamless extension of guest experience.

For hotels aiming to modernize their security approach without compromising on brand or ambiance, the path forward begins with a simple idea:

"Invisible infrastructure creates visible confidence"

CONTACT deepak.kajla@securesec.in 
https://www.securesec.in/

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