You are probably aware of them. These things (“Quick Response” codes) are now on clothes, DIY products, and all manner of other things, and they are used by companies because they are much more powerful and versatile than barcodes. I’ve taken to adding the QR code above to my email “signature” and my business card as it has my name, plus company phone number, web and email address. When scanned by a mobile phone the data can be stored by that phone user without any rekeying. Today every school record on the English in Britain site has a QR code. I would agree that in such a context QR codes may be marginal, but some will find them useful, they cost nothing, and their presence may be a spur to some new thinking.
In Berlin I noticed that QR codes were appearing on brochures, and I would expect that by this time next year the codes will be seen on most of them. If you choke on that rate of growth, try this one: US company Mobio reported in July that from Q2 2010 to Q2 2011 here was a growth in scanning QR codes of almost 10,000%. Growth by a factor of 100 in one year – pretty staggering.
Here’s a nice example of how they are being used by an enterprising Korean supermarket company: commuters on the subway can walk down the platform while the walls simulate supermarket shelves, and do their shopping. Neat.
It’s another spur to us all as we consider the rapid growth of mobile phone use. One year ago one visitor in 70 to my company’s web portals was using a mobile device, and today it’s one in 12. A year from now what, 1 in 4? Less? The times they are a-changin’.
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