A "chicken and the egg"
situation is here. Will physical world connection get adopted by people because they want ads, or because they want to use their camera phone as a tool?Google first built a tool, and then advertisers followed.
We have already seen Amazon introduce Amazon Scan Search, now eBay is recognizing the value of a 2d code, a camera phone and physical world connection.
One of the physical world connection players, BeeTagg , has created a useful application for major ecommerce company eBay.
By adding a unique 2d code to any object and scanning with a camera phone , BeeTagg allows users to link physical objects to the Internet and eBay.
BeeTagg for eBay
The full story (in German)
In my opinion this application has, or will have, a lot more value than a price comparison tool. Instead of building a physical world connection platform for mobile marketing, they are building an ecommerce platform.
BeeTagg, and a couple other PWC cos are letting users create their own codes and determine what THEY want to use them for. Even Microsoft with their latest 2d code launch recognize that you must let people create useful applications for physical world connection.
I see Google will have to offer a 2d code tool soon.
4 comments:
"Will physical world connection get adopted by people because they want ads, or because they want to use their camera phone as a tool?"...They'll actually want to do BOTH, regardless of which ONE brought them into the user fold IMO.
Scott,
Here comes the gold rush and with it the inherent problem - who owns the standard? There will be lots and lots of people with 2d barcodes. They will all have a unique twist, and they will require special software to read them. Ultimately a standard will have to prevail. The reason the Web works is because you only need one browser to read HTML... right now the 2d solution is going the other way - this will fail... you need one reader that can read them all. Of course then you have a standard and it's tough to make money off a standard.
Cheers,
Peter
This is all about getting permission.
Getting a repeat "clicker" is the tricky part.
In order for PWC to work for advertisers, there has to be some recurring theme. You can only offer a free Coke so many times.
With an eBay, Amazon, or even a social networking site, the user is giving you permission to advertise because the tool is giving him some value.
Mirror, mirror on the wall...who's got the reader that will/can decode them all? (or at least most of them in wide use such as QR codes...)
That's when the question of the need for a barcode 'standard' becomes moot IMO...
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