Monday, September 18, 2006

Barcodes...Scanned Or Phasing Out?

Symbol Technologies putting itself up for sale , has got me pondering. I realize RFID tags will eventually replace the barcode, but did this announcement speed things up a bit?

Are we seeing the beginning of the end for the 1d code (barcode)?
Scott Shaffer
Symbol, known as the pioneer of the barcode industry, acquired RFID pioneer Matrics in 2004 to ready itself for the next wave of identification technologies .

Instead of becoming another “Kodak” or "Xerox", Symbol Technologies saw change and adapted. Will Physical World Connection (PWC) companies recognize this and do the same?

This is already happening in the Physical World Connection (PWC) space.
As I see more 2d code players enter the physical world space, it appears to me that the 1d code (barcode) is being passed over. I recognize a shift in the PWC is occurring.

More companies are focusing on using a 2d code or an RFID tag (in various forms) to connect to the Internet than a 1d code.

The three physical world hyperlink contenders (right now) are an RFID tag, a 2d code and a 1d code. 2 of them are just starting to be implemented, the other is being phased out.

Think of the biggest industries and the companies in them, what PWH will benefit them the most because that’s where the money will go.

The major phone manufacturers are already producing phones that can scan a 2d code and an RFID tag. Where does that leave the 1d code space?

Would you create a business or application around a technology that is being phased out, or being implemented?

Somewhere I am sure there are creative ideas floating about for the VHS tape too, but would any legitimate banker provide financing for them?

Like Symbol Technologies, will PWC players create applications that include all types of RFID tags?

The transformation is already occurring.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who's the cutie?

No Name said...

That's the Pondering Primate :)

The ears give it away don't ya think?

Anonymous said...

AAHHHH!

Monkee ears--

-- they need an ear ring

raddedas said...

Interesting - can you elaborate on which major manufacturers are embedding RFID in their handsets? I spotted that Nokia did an optional clip on case with a reader for the ruggedised 5140 handset back in 2004, aimed at the sort of out-doorsy work Halliburton and the like do, but couldn't find much else?
I'm guessing a $40 cost is getting to the point where a niche manufacturer might consider a specialised premium handset with one built-in, might hit the BOM a bit hard for mainstream though (of course it doubtless will go down eventually).

On the demise of the 1D barcode though: do you think they're playing in the same space as 2D barcodes? I thought (aside from capacity) the major rationale for the 2D code was to allow it to be easily scanned from any angle => usable by haphazard consumers? So maybe a more realistic view of the space is 1D being phased out for RFID for appropriate products over the next few years/decades, and 2D being on the side used for mobile PWC applications, Japanese passport stickers and the like? Scanning supermarket goods is of course strictly speaking a connection between the electronic and the physical world, but it has been around a little while and I don't think it's what you are getting excited about...?

Anonymous said...

Hmmm.. I most definitely read a couple of articles about this topic and it brings me back down memory lane :)
The question that I ask myself is what caused something like this to happen or be written??