But the world isn't going to change that quickly. Why is that?īob: Well, let me say this as an RFID advocate now: if everything in the world was RFID tagged for free, and those tags could be read without issue, then there may not be a need for barcodes. Yet, you believe the barcode is here to stay for a long while. Your Edge Blog Team: For the last five years, you have been focused on developing and deploying advanced location technologies such as RFID and real-time location systems (RTLS). You’ll want to hear what he has to say on this matter…. He is well-versed on both sides of the label, so to speak. Here to shed light on why RFID tags might continue to sit next to, rather than in place of, barcodes on product packaging and labels for the foreseeable future, is Bob Grant, who has spent the last 30 years at Zebra working first on automated data capture (i.e., barcode systems) before shifting his focus to location systems (i.e., RFID). But you can’t beat the cost (free) and practical application of a barcode. For example, you can’t use barcode technology to confirm a product’s precise location right now unless that product is in your hand or sitting directly under a fixed barcode scanner. Though both are used for product tracking and inventory management in some capacity, their capabilities vary, and purpose differ. They’re designed to complement barcodes – and co-exist in some cases. Why? Well, RFID tags aren’t necessarily meant to replace barcodes. Even as RFID technology has matured, the barcode hasn’t been retired. Yet, the barcode is still here – 75 years after its original inception and nearly 50 years since the first UPC-marked item was scanned at a store – and it is just as influential on your business’ success as it ever was. As such, there’s an assumption that all “next-gen” technologies will eventually become legacy technologies – that they will eventually be replaced by something better, something different. Disruption is celebrated and stagnation criticized. There’s always talk about “what’s next” in the tech industry.
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