Mobile Barcode Usage on the Increase

[img_assist|nid=10433|title=|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=150|height=150]The United States was the world’s biggest user of mobile barcodes in Q4, 2010, according to figures released today by 3GVision, based on the number of barcodes scanned. Italy was in second place, with Germany third. The company notes, however, that the figures do not include Japan, which it says is: “known to be well ahead in popularity and usage of mobile barcodes”. On this basis then, it looks like Japan first, US second.

Canada showed the greatest growth, up 442 per cent over Q3, 2010, followed by Hong Kong 9 (up by 399 per cent), and Germany (up by 262 per cent). Overall, mobile barcode usage in Q4 was 83 per cent up on Q3, beating the previous quarter’s increase of 34 per cent, and the 12 per cent increase seen between Q3 and Q2.

3GVision’s figures are based on the total number of QRcode, Datamatrix and UPC/EAN scans recorded by the company’s i-nigma system during the relevant periods. 3GVision says that because of i-nigma’s “worldwide prominence”, it believes the figures are likely to be indicative of global mobile barcode activity. For better representation of global open market trends, the figures specifically exclude activity from i-nigma-based solutions that are used by the company’s vertical customers.