SoftPOS promised that any NFC‑enabled Android device with the right software could take contactless payments. It reduced the need for dedicated payment hardware and gave end users greater flexibility, allowing devices to be used for order‑taking, stock management and other operational tasks throughout the day, only switching to payment mode when required.
However, the market appears to be entering its next phase. While the first wave of SoftPOS focused on flexibility, the conversation is increasingly focusing on security, certification and device control. POS manufacturers are exploring different design approaches to balance payment security, certification requirements and operational flexibility. Manufacturers such as LANDI and SUNMI offer devices with different configurations to address the needs of diverse merchant environments.
This is particularly notable because removable customer‑facing displays have been extremely popular in hospitality. The ability to undock a screen and use it as a tablet for order‑and‑pay at table created a flexible and cost‑effective solution for many end users. While that approach remains attractive from an operational perspective, there are growing questions around how removable devices fit within an increasingly security‑focused payments ecosystem.
Part of the answer lies in certification. While SoftPOS is governed largely by software security standards such as PCI MPoC, a device that wants to act as a certified contactless reader must pass EMV Level 1 testing, which certifies the antenna, reader, housing and surrounding components as a single physical assembly. Change that assembly(for example by making the antenna part of a detachable screen) and compliance becomes far harder to achieve. That's why new designs keep the NFC antenna in a fixed unit, even if part of the display can still undock for ordering.
This does not mean removable customer‑facing displays are disappearing overnight. They still offer flexibility and remain a valuable option in many hospitality deployments. However, when multiple new products are being designed around non‑removable, payment‑capable customer displays, it suggests manufacturers are responding to where they believe the market is heading.
For resellers, the key questions when evaluating new POS platforms are:
- Will this device be used for SoftPOS?
- Is the NFC antenna fixed or detachable?
- Which certifications is the device compliant with: EMV Level 1, card scheme approvals, and PCI MPoC through the SoftPOS partner?
In conversations with hospitality resellers across Europe this year, the first question has changed from "can it take payments?" to "is it certified?". The flexibility that made removable customer‑facing displays so attractive may increasingly need to be balanced against the security, certification and lifecycle management demands of modern payment environments.
At BlueStar we work with manufacturers, such as SUNMI and LANDI, to stay ahead of the curve in POS and payment technology. We also work with leading SoftPOS and payment partners across Europe, such as Viva.com. This means we can help resellers match the right device to the right payment solution and ensure the right certifications for the use case. If you're reviewing your POS offering for 2027, talk to our specialist team.
