New Delhi, Oct 9 : PhonePe has unveiled its next-gen SmartSpeaker -- the PhonePe SmartPOD -- designed to meet the evolving payment needs of both merchants and the customers.

Launched at the Global Fintech Fest 2025, the new hybrid device highlights PhonePe's commitment to developing practical solutions for Indian merchants.

Manufactured in India, the SmartPOD is the first PhonePe solution that combines the best features of the SmartSpeaker and traditional Point of Sale (POS) devices into a single, cost-effective device.

The new model is an upgrade from earlier smart speakers that supported audio alerts for UPI payments. The SmartPOD is designed to facilitate merchants who primarily accept UPI payments, but are losing out on sales opportunities because they lack a cost-effective way to accept payment through cards.

The device is a suitable solution, helping them capture those missed sales and cater to a wider range of customers with a single, all-in-one, cost-effective payment solution.

The seamless integration of these payment methods, such as cards and QR codes, ensures a smoother, more convenient experience for both the users and merchants.

'We are excited to be launching the SmartPOD at the Global Fintech Fest. While our earlier smartspeakers made QR code-based payment acceptance reliable and seamless for our merchant partners, the SmartPOD goes a step further by enabling card acceptance through these cost-effective devices. It's an ideal upgrade especially for smaller merchants who have a growing need to accept all forms of digital payments in an affordable manner and allows consumers across the country to be able to use their cards even at the smallest of merchants in their vicinity,' said Yuvraj Singh Shekhawat, Chief Business Officer - Merchant Business at PhonePe.

'We are elated to partner with our smaller merchant partners and equip them with solutions which may help in putting their business at par with their larger counterparts and helps them to tap opportunities to expand and grow their business,' he added.

The SmartPOD includes all the popular features from SmartSpeaker 2.0, including celebrity voice confirmation, 4G network, fast charging, etc.

The device accepts card payments from all major networks, including Mastercard, Visa, RuPay, and American Express, with support for both Near Field Communication (NFC) tap and Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) chip transactions (dip & pay).

To further improve the customer experience, the SmartPOD features a customer-facing display to show the transaction amount and a merchant-facing display for an easy amount entry. It also comes with a keypad for PIN entry and supports e-charge slips for all card transactions, ensuring a secure and efficient payment process.

All PhonePe's device solutions will be available across markets offering merchants the flexibility to choose a device that best suits their specific needs. This multi-tiered approach ensures that businesses of all sizes can find a cost-effective solution to manage their in-store digital payments.

/IANS