The QR Code and NFC

February 5, 2012

Many of our clients are now coming to us asking if they should be using QR Codes in their communications and suggesting that the QR Code is ‘the future’.

What is a QR Code?

QR Code is a trademark which stands for “Quick Response Code”. It is a two-dimensional matrix barcode which has the ability to store different types of data and which has a greater capacity than the conventional UPC (Universal Product Code) barcode.

The QR Code was invented around 1994 by a subsidiary of Toyota, for tracking automotive/vehicle parts in production and manufacture. Since then, with the introduction of smart phones, which enable anybody to scan a code with the use of a simple application,  the potential of the QR Code has increased dramatically.

QR Codes are able to store information such as Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), addresses which can be added to a phone as a V-card, text and personalised information. Therefore the potential application of this functionality is huge.

Many businesses are using the QR Code as a marketing tool. For example, you might go to a restaurant and scan a QR Code, which takes you to a mobile site, where you fill in your details to receive a special offer. The restaurant achieves two objectives here; to capture the attention of, and engage with the customer, whilst also capturing consumer data for the purpose of ongoing communication, interaction and marketing.

Increasingly, QR Codes are being used on business cards. There is no need to keep a complex business card filing system if you can simply scan a code and upload the data to your mobile device.

You might find a flyer which says “Give us your feedback”, with a QR Code. When you scan the code, you are able to compose a text message, email, or fill in a form.

In South Korea, QR Codes are being tested in ‘virtual store’ formats, whereby shopping can be done by the scanning of QR Codes.

Are QR Codes ‘the future’?

There is certainly mileage in the development of the QR Code technology and it is worth jumping on the bandwagon. Here at Pink Sky, we foresee the usage and versatility of the QR Code increasing within the next year or so. However, we would be very cautious about proclaiming that they are ‘the future’. Instead, may we suggest that they are ‘the beginning of a new future’ in technology and the way in which we receive, store and interpret data.

The smart phone has revolutionised the mobile phone market, but it is constantly being developed. Apple ran a campaign when the iPhone 4 came out which said “This changes everything. Again”. This sentiment is always true of technology. The latest advancement changes everything… Until the next one.

What is NFC and does it conflict with the QR Code?

There is a system in place called NFC (Near Field Communication). This technology was developed as a set of standards for smart phones, to establish radio communication with each other when in close proximity or touching. This technology has already been used for applications such as contactless transactions and data exchange.

In a very basic form, this system removes the QR Code itself (although you may choose to have a graphic to indicate the presence of the system) and the process of scanning using an application. The device in the initiator, called a “tag”, lies dormant until activated by the mobile device which is held beside it. Two-way communication is also possible if both devices are powered (gaming between mobile phones for example).

Applications such as Google Wallet, which allow users to store credit card information in an application, could change the way in which we pay for things. You could pay purely by using your mobile phone in close proximity to a PDQ machine. We may have said that ‘chip and pin’ was the future, but again, only until the next big thing.

NFC works at a short range of usually 4cm or less. It can be used for sharing data and files, social networking, identity systems or key cards, potentially for replacing the process of connecting to wifi networks (swipe your phone here to connect to our wifi?) or pairing with other devices.

What does the future hold?

It is impossible to say exactly what the future will hold, but, due to the nature of human endeavour, we will continue to develop technology to make it smarter, faster and stronger. The design of the future is a balance of science and creativity, working in tandem with one another.