Decentro launched two Soundbox devices for merchants in India on November 4, adding spoken payment confirmations to its offline QR-payment offering.
The range comprises a Static QR Soundbox and a Dynamic QR Soundbox with a display, keypad and NFC hardware. According to the company’s announcement, the static model supports 4G, 2G and optional Wi-Fi, with alerts in English, Hindi and regional languages.
The dynamic model generates a separate QR code for each transaction, including the amount payable. It currently supports UPI. Card-payment functionality is expected in roughly two months, rather than being available at launch.
YourStory’s November 4 report also covered the rollout. Banks, fintechs and other platforms can offer the devices through purchase or rental arrangements.
Decentro says the devices include connectivity, platform access and a one-year warranty. Merchant-facing commercial terms are set by the distributing platform; no universal retail price was disclosed in the announcement.
Archive illustration of a shopfront on Main Street in Pune, photographed in 2007; not a Decentro merchant or a Soundbox installation. Photo: Main Street, Pune (Poona) Camp by shankar s., CC BY 2.0. Display may be resized or cropped.
