Star Trek fans and recession-conscious shoppers take heed: Google Product Search for mobile is going all next-generation. Barcode scanning has been integrated into the product search homepage such that users of Android devices can easily find more info on many UPC-bearing items.
Product details, pricing data, and reviews will now be more accessible than ever. To get started, all an Android user needs to do is go to Google.com, select the “Shopping” option, pick the “Scan Barcode” option, and install the app.
(Credit: Google Mobile Blog)
Then it’s just a matter of opening the app, centering a red line over a barcode, and digesting the information Google Product Search for mobile puts on your screen.
Given that this qualifies as both nifty and practical, easy barcode scanning may be something that lends Android an edge over its rivals in consumers’ eyes. Competitors will catch up at some point, of course – according to certain rumors, the next-gen iPhone will have the same ability – but “firsts” count for a lot in the tech world.
Unfortunately for Android, that’s where one slight problem enters the equation. The free app called ShopSavvy has allowed for barcode scanning since last year, so there aren’t any real breakthroughs taking place here. Also, it’s hard not to wonder how many people will want to check things online once they’re holding a product in a brick and mortar store.
Folks in both the US and the UK can give the new offering a try, anyway.
