ams partners Mobeam to offer integrated 1D barcode transmit solution to smartphone makers
The partnership will provide an integrated solution consisting of ams’ light sensors and Mobeam’s light-based beaming technology. With this partnership, handset makers will be able to fully support mobile commerce applications that use barcodes such as: coupon redemption, loyalty cards, gift cards and tickets. For retailers, this will mean the end of manually sorting printed coupons, and waiting months for reimbursement. The solution is being demonstrated in the ams booth (6C40 – Hall 6) at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
The ams and Mobeam technology partnership gives handset makers the ability to finally overcome mobile couponing’s last technical barrier.
The ams and Mobeam technology solves the problem that has limited the advancement of mobile couponing, namely that smartphones utilize emissive displays from which a common POS barcode reader cannot capture barcode data. The partnership integrates Mobeam’s technology with ams’ digital light sensor optical module to provide smartphone vendors with a turn-key solution and differentiation without the need for additional components. The ams TMD3990 module utilizes the same type of proximity IR LED that is already used in smartphones today to disable the touch-screen display. This simplified approach will give handset makers the ability to capture all of the new opportunities taking root in mobile coupons and mobile commerce.
“The combination of Mobeam technology and ams sensors will give smartphone makers a single, accurate and powerful integrated solution to participate in the growing mobile couponing and mobile commerce markets,” said John Heugle, ams CEO. “Our customers look to us to help them create value and differentiation in their products and markets they serve, and we believe this relationship with Mobeam does just that.”
More than 500 million people around the world are expected to receive mobile coupons this year, a 30% increase from 2012. Efficient transfer of barcode data is essential to expand the mobile couponing market. Enabling consumers to use their smartphones to redeem digitized coupons will provide an eco-friendly solution, added convenience, and help to accelerate mobile commerce.
Availability
Devices are currently being sampled by ams. Full production of the TMD3990, which combines Color Light Sensing, proximity detection and IR LED barcode transmit function, is scheduled for 3Q2013.
Visit Mobeam at www.mobeam.com
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