How many people do you know that regularly use QR codes? I bet that its less than a handful.
The machine readable barcodes were invented as a mechanic to connect the physical world with the online world. But so far they have failed to go mainstream.
Tech savvy smart phone users have likely downloaded a QR reader onto their smart phone, used it a couple of times, and then moved on.
Here’s the issue: QR codes are a solution looking for a problem. If they were embedded in a compelling application then maybe they’d take off. But as a standalone mechanic I’m really not sure.
History tells us that its applications that drive the adoption of a new technology and not technology for technology’s sake.
Then there’s the issue of integration – for now QR code readers are standalone apps.
My mobile browser should have an option to use QR codes instead of me entering a URL or more likely using Google. QR codes could be embedded in other apps around a specific function but for now they require a standalone application.
The picture above? That was a Sunday afternoon kitchen table project. Best of all it works. Try for yourself.
Whilst I love the idea of QR codes and the very concept of bringing the online world into an online setting, have to agree with you Stephen.
QR codes are the ‘cool’ new marketing toy. They seem to be everywhere, on the side of beer bottles, on tube posters (now that one is a real puzzle – why stick a QR code where there’s not even internet signal?!), even on tombstones, but I’ve yet to see them used really well. They seem very much stuck in the gimmick stage, and I’ll be interested to see how they get themselves out of that.