Why QR codes won’t last.

Mashable has an interesting post up about why QR codes supposedly won’t last.

Consider a recent study by comScore, which states that only 14 million American mobile device users have have interacted with a QR code. In essence, less than 5% of the American public has scanned a QR code. So where’s the disconnect?

Inadequate technology, lack of education and a perceived dearth of value from QR codes are just three of the reasons mobile barcodes are not clicking with Americans. But it goes deeper than that.

Humans are visual animals. We have visceral reactions to images that a QR code can never evoke; what we see is directly linked to our moods, our purchasing habits and our behaviors. It makes sense, then, that a more visual alternative to QR codes would not only be preferable to consumers, but would most likely stimulate more positive responses to their presence.

The article suggests that Mobile Visual Search (MVS) will be the next big thing, where you simply point your smartphone’s camera at a logo or graphic, which then links to further information or a sales screen on your phone. It’s a much more user-friendly way to interact with with the technology, and the security procedures used by MVS mean there’s less risk of a QR code sending you to a malicious link.