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| QR code generated from http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ |
This week, I'll be talking about the QR, or Quick Response,
codes and why they should become extinct. First, I want to say that QR codes
are a great idea and that it could revolutionize marketing campaigns for
massive companies. They are extremely fast, easy to make and it takes the
frustration out of typing in extremely long web addresses. It's also much more
accessible now for the general public as over half the population owns smartphones*.
However, there's still a lot that QR codes can't offer to
marketing campaigns. They have limited uses and are only to bring a user to a
website, phone number, or SMS. QR codes are also aesthetically unappealing
which destroys the eye appeal that brands strive to achieve. Statistics show
that QR code usage have been on the rise, but the demography that it appeals to
seem to be adult males 25-34 years old**. In addition, people scan QR codes
very sparingly; I for one can't even remember the last time I saw a QR code and
was inclined to give it a try.
One of the main reasons that bug me about QR codes is how
overly accessible it is. This means that any Joe Shmoe can make their own QR
code and have it linked to a horribly organized web site that isn't optimized
for a mobile device. This is a huge deterrent and many others would agree that
the jumbled mess of a site is a huge turn off.
QR codes could be great thing if designed and utilized
perfectly. For most cases, it's often a very confusing experience and a waste
of your time taking out your phone, opening the application, and standing there
trying to focus the camera. If you disagree, I'd love to discuss this with you.
I'm not sure I agree about your reason for why QR codes should die. Sure, anyone can make a QR code - but then again, anyone can make a URL. The biggest problem I have with QR codes is that you can't be sure of the destination until you've scanned it, meaning sorting through a bunch of them is tedious and best done by a computer. If QR codes had more first-party support, and maybe even showed text hovering over the code a-la augmented reality, they could be a lot more interesting and useful.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteThat's very excited for me to finally find someone who has the same point of view as mine! In my point of view about QR codes, I believe that QR just has a hard, long way to go in the future even if it is very fashion today. But what I also think your standpoint and reasons are too absolute and negative. You can find my post if you like, I believe there are many adversaries and challenges which QR need to face. QR could still win the future if he rightfully utilize its advantages and solve its disadvantage, or he could die.
btw nice writing work!
I don't really agree with most of your points, but never the less, this is a good post. Although Joe Shmoe can make an ugly looking QR code that goes to an ugly looking webpage, his website and QR code probably won't receive much attention due to their failure to appeal to people. I think Gavin has a really great point with the security of them, though. It seems completely plausible to encode a piece of malware into a QR code.
ReplyDelete