Can Google’s Entry Make Smartphone Barcode Scanning A Reality?
Written by Fred J. AunMay 24th, 2009
The scenario of consumers using their smartphones to barcode scan for everything from price lookups to quickly gathering more product information via the Web is nothing new. But despite all the talk, it hasn’t progressed much beyond being in a lot of hypothetical scenarios.
Is Google’s entry into the space likely to change that? U.S. and U.K. owners of mobile devices running the Google Android operating system can now download from Google a “Barcode Scanner” app that allows them to use their phones to scan UPC/ISBN codes with the phone’s digital camera. The application has been integrated into Google Product Search for Mobile.
-Marc
May 28th, 2009 at 5:21 am
This is not new, other phones also have this sort of technology, or at least my Nokia E71 does, and this has been out for at least 6 months.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Editor’s Note: Absolutely. That was the point of the blurb, namely that this capability has been touted and even offered for quite some time, but has not been used by consumers to any serious extent. Will Google’s entry make a difference?
May 28th, 2009 at 10:22 am
I don’t think Google’s entry alone will be enough. There are many variations of barcode scanning and image recognition applications available and they often vary by geography – Nokia Point & Find, Scanbuy, Mobile Tag, Snaptell, SnapTag, Shotcodes, QR codes…just to name a few…
In my opinion, it will require a massive consumer education campaign supported by many advertisers, along with a fairly clear value proposition for the consumer, in order for this to take off.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
It all depends on the database capabilities. Retailers will not like this unless they have the best price. My solution is to have the application create your shopping list based on items you buy most often. when consumers scan the price it uploads to a central database and instantly tells me which stores have the item sorted by cheapest price and distance from me. I can then instantly tell if it is a good buy. The second half of the equation is to scan my store receipts to track what I buy and when. The app will create a shopping list by store based on price. I can designate which stores to be in my list. It can also give me an alert if I am in close proximity to a store with an item I am tracking.
If done correctly it will revolutionize how we shop and price compare. Revenue can be generated using a subscription model or forced advertising. I am sure both models will be included. New users may start with the free service then upgrade to a subscription when they see how much money they save each month.