Comments on: Using an iPhone Barcode Scanning App in the Warehouse http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/01/25/using-an-iphone-barcode-scanner-app-in-the-warehouse/ Providing logistics professionals with clear and concise analyses of Logistics Trends, Technologies, and Services Wed, 16 May 2012 10:07:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: rdriggin http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/01/25/using-an-iphone-barcode-scanner-app-in-the-warehouse/comment-page-1/#comment-148 rdriggin Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:23:16 +0000 http://logisticsviewpoints.com/?p=2766#comment-148 Steve, As an avid iPhone enthusiast, iPhone app developer, and supply chain professional, I am happy to see dialogue focused on this topic. I own and use RedLaser’s solution regularly on my 3Gs and also have experience with it on all other iPhone models. My experience on a 3GS is that it is almost as fast as most low cost laser scanners from an "acquisition" standpoint. It is perfectly usable to quickly scan UPC and EAN codes (more on this below). It is also a high performance tool where a developer can license the SDK at a reasonable cost - this allows developers to embedded scanning features into their own supply chain apps. However, based on my experience, older iPhone models could not be used in a “production” environment due to the “slowness” of acquisition. However, the biggest challenge with this solution in a “production” environment is that it currently only scans UPC and EAN codes, so if you have Code 39 or “128” symbologies printed on location or license plate labels in your facility, it would not support this scanning. However, I believe that this will be overcome by this vendor or another one in time. However, using this solution to scan “product codes” (UPC, EAN etc) is perfectly viable today in a shop floor operation. Another potential avenue is the “hardware” approach. There are many posts associated with Apple’s retail store iPhone/iPod Touch cradle which integrates a "real" laser scanner and magnetic card reader (for credit cards) so that they can use these devices on their own retail POS. One has to believe that this currently proprietary product might one day be a commercially available solution. It’s quite a nice solution. Ron Riggin Acuity Global LLC Steve,

As an avid iPhone enthusiast, iPhone app developer, and supply chain professional, I am happy to see dialogue focused on this topic. I own and use RedLaser’s solution regularly on my 3Gs and also have experience with it on all other iPhone models. My experience on a 3GS is that it is almost as fast as most low cost laser scanners from an “acquisition” standpoint. It is perfectly usable to quickly scan UPC and EAN codes (more on this below). It is also a high performance tool where a developer can license the SDK at a reasonable cost – this allows developers to embedded scanning features into their own supply chain apps. However, based on my experience, older iPhone models could not be used in a “production” environment due to the “slowness” of acquisition.

However, the biggest challenge with this solution in a “production” environment is that it currently only scans UPC and EAN codes, so if you have Code 39 or “128” symbologies printed on location or license plate labels in your facility, it would not support this scanning. However, I believe that this will be overcome by this vendor or another one in time. However, using this solution to scan “product codes” (UPC, EAN etc) is perfectly viable today in a shop floor operation.

Another potential avenue is the “hardware” approach. There are many posts associated with Apple’s retail store iPhone/iPod Touch cradle which integrates a “real” laser scanner and magnetic card reader (for credit cards) so that they can use these devices on their own retail POS. One has to believe that this currently proprietary product might one day be a commercially available solution. It’s quite a nice solution.

Ron Riggin
Acuity Global LLC

]]> By: Benoit http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/01/25/using-an-iphone-barcode-scanner-app-in-the-warehouse/comment-page-1/#comment-147 Benoit Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:36:43 +0000 http://logisticsviewpoints.com/?p=2766#comment-147 Hi Steve, It may not be the best solution if you need to scan barcodes all day long, but for more "casual" uses, companies are considering issuing smartphones to some employees. They can be used as barcode scanners, access web apps on the intranet, and many other uses that traditional scanners cannot offer. My company developed the first barcode reader that actually worked on the iPhone 3G. You can try it for free in our pic2shop app. We get quite a few requests from companies who want to do just what you describe, and are looking to license our SDK. Hi Steve,
It may not be the best solution if you need to scan barcodes all day long, but for more “casual” uses, companies are considering issuing smartphones to some employees.

They can be used as barcode scanners, access web apps on the intranet, and many other uses that traditional scanners cannot offer.

My company developed the first barcode reader that actually worked on the iPhone 3G. You can try it for free in our pic2shop app. We get quite a few requests from companies who want to do just what you describe, and are looking to license our SDK.

]]> By: srmurrayut http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2010/01/25/using-an-iphone-barcode-scanner-app-in-the-warehouse/comment-page-1/#comment-146 srmurrayut Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:04:26 +0000 http://logisticsviewpoints.com/?p=2766#comment-146 Crazy? Maybe not so much Steve. A few months back I read an article about a 3PL who was using, or developing, (wish I could locate the article) an iPhone app to track in-transit shipments and deliveries. Cool stuff, GPS, maps, waybills, delivery capture, via the ever present iPhone. Now the warehouse is a different place I'll admit, and iPhones are not cheap. But, neither are the Motorola, etc, Wi-Fi scanners we all use. If there is a low cost wired (or blue tooth) scanner (wrist mount perhaps) that can interface with an iPhone strapped to your belt, then perhaps the issue becomes battery life. How long can a iPhone 3GS with Wi-Fi last in your warehouse. Also make for a pretty cool way of communicating. Most (or no) barcode scanners can't do this. Maybe even an app for voice directed picking using iPhone's hands free mode. WAY COOL! Steve Murray Principal and Chief Researcher Supply Chain Visions Crazy? Maybe not so much Steve. A few months back I read an article about a 3PL who was using, or developing, (wish I could locate the article) an iPhone app to track in-transit shipments and deliveries. Cool stuff, GPS, maps, waybills, delivery capture, via the ever present iPhone.

Now the warehouse is a different place I’ll admit, and iPhones are not cheap. But, neither are the Motorola, etc, Wi-Fi scanners we all use.

If there is a low cost wired (or blue tooth) scanner (wrist mount perhaps) that can interface with an iPhone strapped to your belt, then perhaps the issue becomes battery life. How long can a iPhone 3GS with Wi-Fi last in your warehouse.

Also make for a pretty cool way of communicating. Most (or no) barcode scanners can’t do this. Maybe even an app for voice directed picking using iPhone’s hands free mode.

WAY COOL!

Steve Murray
Principal and Chief Researcher
Supply Chain Visions

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