QR Code vs. NFC
And, in this corner… Before QR (Quick Response) codes and NFC (Near Field Communications) officially square off; the masses have dubbed NFC “The QR Killer.” Google instigated the matter in March, 2011 when they announced they no longer would be supporting QR codes in their Google Places and would be using NFC instead. Since then, the hype has escalated with commentary in forums, blogs and the like with headlines such as “Goodbye QR” and “QR Rest In Peace.” In reality, this is a fight neither side asked for—it has been conjured in the minds of many due to fear, which is instilled when a large corporation like Google merely mentions they are progressing in another direction. As you will see, neither QR nor NFC are fully prepared to fight each other just yet and most likely will become colloborators rather than adversaries. IntroductionsEach technology is a type of mobile trigger—both QR codes and NFC tags are programmed to resolve and deliver specific content such as directing a user to a landing page, playing a video, or providing a means for mobile payment, etc. However, the method in how the information is programmed is uniquely different between the two. One is printed with ink and the other is a printed circuit. QR codes and other 2D scan codes are two-dimensional barcodes. Using a (free) QR generator, binary information is encoded resulting in the arrangement of black and white squares. The codes can be printed by anyone on paper or other printable objects. To trigger the event, the user launches an App, takes a picture of the QR code and the software app decodes the information. NFC is the communication of two computer chips—an initiator and a receiver. The receiver chip has data written to it, and it is typically applied to the back of a sticker. The initiator chip in a smartphone, or other device, generates an active NFC field. If your phone is embedded with an NFC chip, all you have to do is wave your phone over an NFC tag or sticker to trigger an event. How they match upCurrently, the primary differences in how QR codes and NFC match up are manufacturing, cost, capabilities and public perception. QR code generators are quite accessible and free. There are hundreds of free QR code generators in the public domain that anyone can use. These codes can easily be copied or saved to your computer and incorporated into some sort of print collateral. Programming NFC tags is currently not as common place. Anyone who buys an NFC enabled mobile device can create NFC tags—the problem is the availability of smartphones that currently support NFC. You can purchase turn-key solutions from Nokia, Tagstand, et al that are pre-programmed (the most basic resolves to a URL). As more NFC phones become available, you'll be able to program your own with an NFC device, some tags and a tag-writer app. The odds are you already have a computer, access to the Internet and a means to produce print collateral or a print vendor to do your printing for you. In which case, creating QR codes will add only a nominal cost or will be free. Similarly, the odds also are you do not have an NFC capable smartphone, a tag-writer app or a supply of tags. At a minimum, you will need to purchase some tags, and you will most likely need to pay someone to program them for you. The cost is roughly 1-2 cents per tag but is dependent on the quantity and the memory size and complexity of the tag. There are emerging companies and platforms coming weekly to the NFC market. NFC tags continue to become cheaper and easier to create. The advancements are occurring at such a rapid pace that much of this will change (for the better) shortly after this writing. Until there’s a massive shift in the way the chips are produced, NFC is very much cost prohibitive because a person can generate a QR code for free online, and print it on just about anything. Continued... Chris Lehan is the Director of Product Development at Impressions Incorporated (a multi-color printer in St. Paul, MN specializing in the complete production of customized printing and paperboard packaging). http://www.i-i.com
Follow me on Twitter @chrislehan
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder