pwc OP3 Interview

OP3

Can you briefly describe what OP3 offers to consumers and corporations?

OP3 is a Dutch/Swedish innovative company specialized in simplifying mobile commerce. OP3’s shotcode technology connects cameraphone users to mobile webpages in two clicks or less, enabling enterprises to truly capitalize on the mobile Internet.

* Our service is easy to set up, without any start-up costs, and is based on a transparent, affordable and compelling pricing structure. The shotcode technology makes use of a unique ecstatically appealing and easy to use barcoding-system.

What is the biggest obstacle your company and this industry are facing?

* To get the application on as many cameraphones as possible.

Corporations or consumers, who are you catering your business to?

* We cater to both. Concerning consumers we provide the shotcode application for free. These consumers create an install base allowing enterprises to commercially exploit the shotcode system.

What is taking service providers so long to implement this?

* They have the luxury to wait and see what technology wins.

Has the search engine industry recognized how your product, and this new industry, will be the catalyst for mobile marketing? (ie. Have any search engine contacted you about any business relationships?)

* Ruud Smeets, the MD paid local search Europe for Yahoo! is a member of our board of advisors. Search engines are very aware of our technology and the impact it will have on the mobile market.

When do we see the ability to click on a barcode/2d code and purchase/retrieve info happening?

* In this quarter (I found this statement of interest)

Every company has at least one, what is your biggest fear.

* Pavarotti in a tutu…

If you could land one specific customer/client, who would it be?

* We don’t distinct between our clients in such a way.

Does OP3 have an application that can read RFID tags?

* No, all though RFID is a very promising technology we believe it will be quite some time before it gets relevant.

If you had to sum up OP3 in one sentence, it would be.

* A passionate team of highly driven professionals fully focused on providing our costumers with high quality, and profitable mobile solutions.

A major event I find very interesting is that OP3 just recently got the SpotCode platform from HighEnergyMagic . Customers reportedly using SpotCode include Bango.net and Intel Research. SpotCode allows consumers to purchase tickets, etc from kiosks. the cameraphone uses Bluetooth technology.

SpotCode was mentioned in this N.Y. Times Article .

A quote "On these posters are symbols the researchers call SpotCodes: concentric rings of black-and-white blocks representing ones and zeros. Focusing your camera phone on the code and then clicking any button launches a wireless service -- for example, the ability to buy a train ticket, check an airplane's departure time or download a ring tone from a store display".

OP3 can read both barcodes and 2d codes. This is very powerful. Brands dont have to change their packaging if they already have a barcode on it. Small merchants can use a special 2d code created by OP3 if they don't have packaging with a barcode.

The 2d code allows an info retrieval for everyday use items (bus station, posters) and the barcode can provide interaction for brands.

The drawbacks are awareness and implementation. How do you get people to realize a 2d code on a bus stop sign is for schedule. How do you get the application on the phone to use.

I like OP3's ability to read both 2d and barcodes. This should open up some interesting markets. I think the recent SpotCode acquisition will open some nice doors for them.

I found one statement very interesting in this interview. OP3's is forecasting for this technology to happen this quarter.