All your questions about iK Tap on Phone answered in one article.
Q: What is Tap on Phone?
A: Tap on Phone allows you to use a normal, commercially available Android Smartphone to accept tap and go card payments, using state-of-the-art security and NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. Tap on Phone is approved by Mastercard and Visa.
Q: What versions of Android does Tap on Phone support?
A: Tap on Phone requires your smartphone to have Android 9, 10, 11 or 12 installed.
Q: What do I need to be able to use Tap on Phone to accept card payments?
A: An Android Smartphone that is NFC enabled. Your smartphone must also have Android 9 or higher.
Q: How do I check my Android version?
A: You can find your device's Android version number, security update level, and Google Play system level in your Settings app. You'll get notifications when updates are available for you. You can also check for updates.
Q: What is NFC?
A: NFC stands for “Near Field Communication” and, as the name implies, it enables short-range (about 1 cm) communication between compatible devices. Compatible devices include tap-enabled card machines and tab-enabled bank cards.
Q: How do I check if I have NFC?
A: Some smartphones have NFC hardware that can be enabled via the Settings app on the phone, in the same way that Bluetooth or WiFi is enabled/disabled.
Q: Where do I find the NFC function for my phone?
A: NFC options for your device can be found in your Settings app. It can usually be found under “Connections” or “Wireless & Networks”. When you enable iK Tap on Phone, and your NFC is not enabled, the app will direct you to your settings to switch on your NFC. Be sure to return to the iKhokha App to finish Enabling Tap on Phone.
Q: Why do you need permission to access the camera on my device?
A: As a security measure, the iKhokha app needs to ensure that the camera is not in use while a card is being tapped behind the phone. The app, therefore, needs permission to access your camera to ensure that the camera is not in use during transactions.
Q: Usually customers tap their cards on the front of a payment terminal. Why, with Tap on Phone, do they need to tap the card on the back of the phone?
A: Typically the physical NFC reader sits towards the back of the phone and can make contact with the card much easier. The phone will vibrate when it successfully makes contact with the card. Hold the card still until the four dots on the screen light up in yellow indicating that the transaction can successfully proceed.
Q: Why don't I feel a vibration when I tap the card at the back of the phone?
A: When the app successfully makes contact with the card, the phone will vibrate slightly. If you don’t feel a vibration it means the card is not close enough to the NFC reader. Move the card slightly to try a different position on the back of the phone. The NFC reader is usually somewhere between the middle and the top of the phone.
Q: Why is there a timer counting down at the top of the screen?
A: In order to do a Tap on Phone transaction, the iKhokha app needs the customer to tap the card within the 30 second period. If the app does not make contact with a card within 30 seconds, you will need to restart the transaction.
Q: When trying to tap my customer’s card to make a payment, I got a timeout screen. What does that mean?
A: The app did not successfully make contact with the card during the 30 second countdown shown in the top right corner of the screen. Or, your customer's card is not tap-enabled. Here's how to fix it:
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Hold the card to the back of the phone. You will feel the phone vibrate if the NFC reader in the phone makes contact with the card. The four dots will light up in yellow once the transaction can successfully proceed.
Need a helping hand? Contact us on +27 87 222 7000 or pop us an email at support@ikhokha.com.