Near-Field Communication and QR Codes… The Next Fight

Near-field communication is the up-and-coming technology that is giving QR codes a run for its money.

In a previous post, BeQRious.com admits that it is much easier for people to use NFC and it is a good platform for secure and fast mobile payments. But do not count QR codes out yet.

While NFC does have great potential for wireless and contactless information sharing, it is still taking baby steps in the United States. QR codes have come a long way in its journey and has even made it mainstream. A lot of retailers and business, including the world’s largest brands have used QR codes for their sales, marketing and information campaign. QR codes are also useful for other fields such as education, causes, and charity. The reason for this is that QR codes are easy and free to create and use. You can print it out on paper or put it up on your website, and people would be able to scan it. NFC tags, on the other hand, are proving to be expensive for widespread use. Until such as time that NFC tags become free to create and deploy, QR codes will always be a vital option.

ROUND 3: QR codes win!

But before QR codes reached mainstream status, it also suffered from growing pains. For a time, people did not recognize these codes and did not know what to do with them. It took a while before marketers and other enthusiasts were able to educate consumers about QR codes, its uses and how to use it. It also took some time for people to be able to “trust” QR codes, making it normal for them to get their smartphones out and scan the codes. NFC has a long way to go before people on the street know what it is and what it can do.

ROUND 4: QR codes win!

And so, after four rounds, we have a tie between QR codes and near-field communication. Who will win the crown of being the better technology? Stay tuned!