The “dotless visual codes” resemble traditional QR codes in that they have little square markers that tell consumers that an item is scannable with their phone or tablet. However, they’re not technically QR codes, but a new standard that solves the limitations of QR codes, venturebeat.com reports.
The new codes are capable of embedding colorful images or logos covering 90% of the code’s surface. The dotless codes are part of Visualead’s new Secure O2O offering, which require a more secure application to scan the codes, and Alibaba has already integrated Visualead’s new scanner SDK for the launch.
Alibaba is also rolling out its new Blue Stars platform today, which helps manufacturers print labels with unique codes for each individual piece of packaging. For example, when a consumer scans the Blue Stars codes from within Alibaba’s Taobao app, they’ll see more details on the product, including product authenticity. It’s designed to help combat counterfeiting.
Founded in 2012, Visualead sells itself as an offline to online (O2O) platform that helps brick-and-mortar companies connect with customers online. Visualead tweaked the design of QR codes so that they blend in with the design of the packaging.
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