PhonePe has officially unveiled the second generation of its SmartSpeaker, a merchant-first, Made-in-India device tailored for the digital payments ecosystem. Designed to enhance daily operations for small and medium businesses, the new SmartSpeaker builds upon its predecessor’s voice notification functionality while introducing advanced features for greater convenience and performance.

Background: Evolution from 2022 Launch

PhonePe first introduced its SmartSpeaker in 2022 to help offline merchants receive real-time, voice-based confirmation of customer payments. The device quickly gained popularity thanks to its ability to announce payment status audibly in 21 Indian languages — even featuring celebrity voices for a unique experience. It enabled business owners to stay focused on serving customers without the need to constantly check SMS messages or payment apps.

What’s New in the 2nd Gen SmartSpeaker

The newly launched PhonePe SmartSpeaker 2nd Gen retains all the core features of the original version but incorporates significant upgrades for performance, connectivity, and usability.

4G Connectivity for Faster, Reliable Payments

The most notable enhancement is the shift to 4G network support, replacing the older 2G/3G models. This upgrade ensures faster data communication, making payment alerts more timely and reliable, especially in high-traffic merchant zones.

Fast Charging & Long Battery Life

PhonePe has included fast charging support, allowing the speaker to fully charge in around 75 minutes. Once charged, it offers an impressive standby battery life of over 7 days (more than 160 hours), reducing the need for frequent charging — a much-needed feature for busy retail environments.

Tap and Pay Support

In a significant move toward future-ready digital payments, the 2nd Gen SmartSpeaker comes with Tap and Pay functionality. This enables contactless transactions where compatible cards or smartphones can simply be tapped to complete a payment — streamlining customer checkout experiences.

Type-C Connector and Visual Feedback

The new device features a USB Type-C connector for efficient charging and also provides visual confirmations of payments through LED indicators — a helpful addition alongside audio alerts in noisy settings.

Merchant-Centric Design Enhancements

The SmartSpeaker 2nd Gen is built for crowded, high-volume retail counters. It includes a compact, ergonomic design that saves space and integrates a built-in QR code stand slot, helping merchants keep their counter area clean and organized while ensuring QR visibility for customers.

Availability and How to Get It

Merchants can purchase the new SmartSpeaker through the PhonePe Business app, available on the Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Indus Appstore. This accessibility ensures wide reach across urban and semi-urban areas, supporting India’s growing digital economy.

Conclusion

With the launch of the SmartSpeaker 2nd Gen, PhonePe reaffirms its commitment to empowering India’s merchant community with smart, efficient, and scalable digital solutions. The addition of 4G support, Tap and Pay, fast charging, and an improved design makes it an essential tool for businesses looking to simplify their digital payment experience. As India continues its transition to a cashless economy, such innovations play a key role in accelerating digital adoption at the grassroots level.