Friday, 26 Apr 2013 10:56 GMT

Death of a crossmedia pioneer?

The quick response (QR) code has for a long time been the poster child for the crossmedia revolution that continues to sweep the visual communications industry. But its ongoing relevance has now been questioned in an incisive report by New York-based online publication, Mobile Marketer

Are QR Codes Losing their Magnetism?, written by associate editor Rimma Kats, draws some interesting conclusions and argues the, ‘technology has lost some of its glimmer’.

Originally designed for use in Toyota factories to keep track of parts, the QR code has been the spearhead of the crossmedia technology sector. But the death knell of the humble QR code has been sounded by a new wave of technology that has all of its benefits and none of its drawbacks.

The death knell of the humble QR code has been sounded by a new wave of technology that has all of its benefits and none of its drawbacks”

In the UK it is taking shape in the form of two frontrunners, Blippar and Documobi, which have both seen their print to online and mobile software apps gain significant traction. They use invisible digital watermarks to trigger content from their apps—meaning hundreds can be conceivably used across a magazine, something impossible with the black and white QR code box.

The QR code is also seeing its usage in posters eaten away by systems such as near field technology (NFC). This uses embedded smartphone software that connects you to creative content just by swiping your phone against a small reader on the physical display.

Kats report does however cite hope for the crossmedia cornerstone, as its free, universally accessible and, as long as it used more creatively and effectively, will continue to have diverse applications. 

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