QR codes have started springing to life here in the U.S. as businesses and entrepreneurs alike have discovered their simple wonder as a marketing tool. Meanwhile, mobile technology developers have all ready came out with another genius tool; the Near Field Communication (NFC) tags. QR codes and NFC devices are similar, yet very different. Both, if used correctly, can help propel your business presence from the physical to the virtual world.
QR codes are a small square box that looks similar to a 2D, pixilated barcode. They can be embedded with a link to your company’s website, product information, downloadable coupons, music or photos. There are several sites that help you create your own code, and many of them are free.
Anyone with a Smartphone can download an app that enables their phone to scan the code; those are usually free also. Once they snap a shot of your code, the phone will read it and transfer directly to the embedded material. The QR codes can be put on anything; window decals, business cards, posters, newspapers, or even online. They’re easy and inexpensive to use.
Near Field Communication (NFC) tags are small chips that can be embedded in two dimensional objects and communicate with other NFC enabled devices by radio frequency. The two devices usually need to be within inches of each other to communicate.
NFC tags can be put in stickers, cards or posters. When another NFC enabled device gets within communication distance, the poster, for example, can contact the nearby device; to let it know it has a message. This “message” could be a coupon, a website or product information.
The biggest difference between the QR code and the NFC tag is the NFC tags can also be used as a contactless card. This could be used for making mobile payments when you’re out shopping. Two NFC devices can also communicate together and exchange information, like pictures and music. The NFC technology relies on a chip that is imbedded within the phone, while the QR code needs a scanner application to read the code.
There is one downside to the NFC tag, the security. Which leads many to the next obvious question …how secure is it really? Experts are battling a possible “man in the middle” situation, which is a hijack technique referred to as a “relay attack”. With the future of mobile phones acting like credit cards, an electronic wallet of sorts, this security threat is a daunting reality that is being addressed.
Several of the new Smartphone’s that are being released will be enabled with NFC technology.
