14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft’s mobile barcode technology, dubbed Microsoft Tag, is now out of beta, 18 months after the initial release, and comes with support for four of the most popular mobile operating systems on the market today. While moving out of beta, Microsoft Tag brought along a series of improvements to the existing Tag Reader clients, along with new features that are meant to offer users the possibility to enjoy enhanced creation, execution and tracking of creative Tag campaigns.
When it comes to the mobile platforms that can offer Microsoft Tag to their users, we can count Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, with support for all versions after 5.0, Google's Android OS, starting with the 1.5 flavor onwards, Research In Motion's BlackBerry 4.3 or higher, as well as Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 and 3.1 versions. A great deal of devices already feature support for the solution (the list can be seen here), with more to come, it seems.
In case there are some yet unfamiliar with what Microsoft Tag is all about, we should note that the technology enables consumers and businesses to easily create or scan barcodes. When used on mobile phones, the solution provides quick access to information, websites, videos, reviews, and more. To make things even more interesting, the solution is offered for free, and can be found in most of the mobile applications stores in the world, including those associated with the above mentioned OSes.
“Today we can imagine a world where any physical object can become a gateway to a world of digital content and engagement: Scan a product in a newspaper, get a personalized offer, buy it on the spot, or get directions to the store to buy it later. Or, scan a poster for a play, see a preview of the performance, invite friends, and buy tickets. This is what Tag can do for you, for your users, for your marketing campaign, and for your business. All you have to do is simply click on things in your physical world to make your world interactive on the spot,” Aaron Getz, general manager, Microsoft Tag, notes in a recent post on Microsoft Tag blog.