As the year winds down, payment systems professionals have begun looking at what 2015 will bring for the industry. The consensus is that technological advancements will push what were innovative niche systems to the mainstream. Tablet POS systems are one of these technologies, and given the advancements in hardware and software required to make these tools work, more companies will find it easier to adopt them into their payments infrastructure in the new year.

PYMNTS.com spoke about the ways payments technologies will emerge in the coming year with a number of industry professionals who believe tablet POS systems will not only become mainstream, but that organizations will increasingly use modern technologies like the cloud to facilitate tablet POS transactions. "Expensive and outdated solutions simply can't compete with the features of newer cloud-based tablet solutions. The integrated software will continue on its trajectory to become more feature-rich with each new release providing merchants the ability to make smarter business decisions."

There are many tablet POS solutions on the market today and the array of choices can become confusing. Merchants should focus on tablet solutions that are designed specifically for their industry. For example, restaurants require a different set of functionality than do retailers. And while the cloud offers important features, choosing a system that must be connected to the cloud to work isn't always your best choice.  One of the best restaurant POS tablet apps is from a company called ARMS F&B which offers a feature-rich solution but is designed to operate by making your iPad the central host inside the restaurant, allowing all your Apple mobile devices to continue to function normally in unison, even if communication to the cloud is offline. 

Choosing the right tablet POS system is key. Working with a merchant account services provider who understands your industry will help you obtain the tablet technology needed to capitalize on these advancements.