Mobile Image Recognition
You ain’t seen nothing yet
In a recent blog we spoke about QR codes, two-dimensional codes that smartphones with cameras can ‘scan’ with detailed information delivered directly to that phone.
We contacted the National Post who have been deploying QR codes in their various newspapers since April of 2009.
According to Jonathan Harris, VP Digital Media, the Post was the first newspaper in North America to pioneer this latest advertising techno advancement.
Well Jonathan, here comes image recognition, and it will probably render QR codes obsolete, even thought the vast majority of Canadians haven’t even heard of QR codes … such is the pace of technology.
Google is experimenting with, (sorry Beta testing), Goggles. Naturally this latest technology is closely linked with Android, the company’s mobile OS. The concept is simple – the technology fascinating. By simply focusing the camera of a smartphone on a label, a building, a book; the software recognizes the source and provides instant information to the users.
Snapnow is another image recognition provider. It describes itself as, “a mobile visual search service, which lets you search for mobile web content based on images you capture with your camera phone.”
As with QR codes, Japanese consumers are at the leading edge of acceptance and use of image recognition technology. Skin care supplier, Guthey-Renker is using the Snapnow technology,
Tom Garofalo, Executive Vice President of Asia Pacific for SnapNow said, “This is the first partnership of its kind anywhere in the world. By combining print, TV and real world consumer touch points we allow customers to connect to and purchase products directly through their mobile phones using our image recognition technology – without requiring any kind of symbol or code. This takes mobile commerce to a whole new level.”
Snap2Travel is also a player. The Snap2Travel app allows you to take a picture of a page or image in a holiday catalogue, put in your dates and receive real-time prices. If you want to book there and then, you’re connected to your default travel agency, all over your mobile phone.
So if you were considering QR codes, you might want to take a step back and spend some time exploring image recognition. We are and have some exciting new ways to make it drive a great user experience and increase ROI
Stay tuned as we continue to spotlight the latest in mobile technology.
