Blurry Barcode Scanning…Why Bother?

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Blurry Barcode Scanning...Why Bother?

Developers of product-centric apps often ask why they should support barcode scanning on mobile devices that do not feature an autofocus camera or, more often still, why the ability to decode barcodes in blurry images is very important for high-end smartphones with autofocus cameras. Before getting to the benefits of blurry barcode scanning, note that there are many reasons why barcode images can be blurred: not having an autofocus camera in the first place, wrong focal point, slow focus, close proximity to an object, or hand motion—just to name a few. To address these issues and deliver a great user experience, the Scandit SDK was designed not only to support cameras without autofocus, but also to purposefully deal with blurry barcodes in general.

Why should you bother and integrate blurry barcode scanning in your app?

  1. Increase the Addressable Market
    The most obvious reason for supporting non-autofocus devices is to increase your potential user base and thus your addressable market. We’ve just completed a market study to determine how many mobile devices out there still don’t have autofocus cameras, and we’re excited to share the results with you soon. For now, let us just assure you that there are MANY devices that fall into this category. Read more…
  2. Improve Scan Speed
    Our barcode scanning solution provides lightning-fast recognition because it doesn’t bother to wait for a camera to focus before capturing a barcode image. Since there is no need to focus the image, waiting for focal points to adjust becomes a non-issue. This can significantly speed up recogniton on even latest smartphone with an autofocus camera. Read more…
  3. Improve Scan Accuracy
    The ability to interpret blurry barcodes has also helped our SDK become the most accurate scanner on the market. Many scanners produce inaccurate results because the image they are trying to interpret is blurred beyond their level of sophistication. Through specializing in interpreting blurry barcodes we eliminate scenarios where false positives arise from blurred images and thereby deliver a greatly improved user experience. Read more…

 

This is just the beginning. Over the next few weeks we’ll continue to blog about blurry barcodes, and what they mean for you, your apps and your business. We plan to release market stats from our recent study, and provide more insights on how businesses can gain a competitive advantage through supporting non- autofocus devices.

Just remember—the next time you find yourself considering a barcode scanning solution, choose Scandit—because all cameras have a right to scan.