Microsoft WEPOS 1.1

Today, Microsoft released version 1.1 of its Windows Embedded for Point of Service, including support for both new and legacy retail peripherals. Launched in May 2005, WEPOS has found its way to the retailers through numerous hardware partners and system integrators, who prefer to use the cheaper embedded operating system over Windows XP.

According to eWeek’s analysts, Microsoft mainly targets WEPOS at MS-DOS replacements and migrations from the Linux platform, which both suffer from a lack of support for common EPOS peripherals.

Windows Embedded for Point of Service version 1.1 provides updated support for the UnifiedPOS retail peripheral standard version 1.9 and expanded support for legacy device peripherals such as Coin Dispenser, Keylock, Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR), POS Power, Scale, Signature Capture and Tone Indicator. This enables retailers to continue using existing retail peripherals while point-of-service systems are upgraded.