For example, even as quick response (QR) codes start to gain traction, they are under threat from the next generation of technologies that offer new and unique forms of interaction between print and digital media, such as near-field communication (NFC) augmented reality (AR), digital watermarking and even iQR Codes.

Furthermore, the growth of smartphones and tablets – such as the iPhone,  iPad and a slew of similar devices – now mean that the ability to access and interact with new forms of advertising and promotional materials is at the fingertips of millions of consumers.

For savvy marketers and printers, the key challenge is not only knowing what’s new in the market, but also how each technology can help a business stand out from the crowd and drive new revenue opportunities. Below is our guide to the key technologies on the market.

Near-field communication

What is it? NFC technology is a form of mobile connectivity that uses short-wave radio transmissions to  enable two devices to recognise one another’s presence and interact; for example, to share contact details.

It is a technology that is set to have a big impact in the next few years, and the key to its evolution will come from NFC microchips increasingly being included in smartphones. These microchips enable users to pay for goods and interact with physical items fitted with an NFC tag in order to obtain additional information – such as a web link, text, images, audio and video – directly through the device.

NFC can be implemented on anything from large print advertisements, called ‘smart posters’, to product labels (such as a wine label) that can  provide more information on a product or transmit to the phone a coupon for the item.

How it works: Any NFC-enabled device has to be fitted with a small chip that emits a frequency in the low-end of a short-range radio spectrum. If it is placed within a few centimetres of another NFC chip and programmed for a particular function, such as a cash transfer. It will recognise the other chip and the two will interact.

Is anyone using it? In the retail industry, the technology is rising in both use and awareness, with several shops offering customers the ability to pay for items worth £15 or less via their credit cards, such as Visa’s payWave system. Use in other markets is also increasing. Adshel and JCDecaux  are just two of a growing number of advertising firms who are now placing the technology on their displays.

Augmented reality

What is it? When you first see augmented reality in action, it’s like watching magic. You know there’s a logical explanation for what’s happening, but the experience is surreal.

The technology allows an apparently static piece of content (this could be anything from a product label to an advert) to come to life with interactive, moving images when viewed through a camera on a smartphone or similar device.

For example, a product’s logo, when viewed through the necessary AR application, instantly takes on a three-dimensional aspect, displaying information, images and video, as well as content that customers can interact with on their device’s screen.

The content can also be set to change depending on location. A user in London may see different content from one in Edinburgh,  despite the advert itself appearing the same, to help further increase the uses of the technology.

How it works: A dedicated application is downloaded to a smartphone or tablet that utilises the device’s camera to be able to read a code within a product logo or advertisement. This device then displays the content and allows users to interact.

Is anyone using it? The Wimbledon tennis tournament has been a notable adopter of AR technology, using an application developed by IBM to allow Android devices and iPhones to access information on latest scores, live BBC coverage from centre court and locations of the nearest food and drink concessions.

Furthermore, Tesco recently announced a deal with augmented reality firm Blippar to implement the technology on a raft of its advertising and promotional materials, while the firm also boasts clients such as Cadbury and Walkers Crisps.

 iQR Codes

What is it? As the name suggests, iQR codes are the next generation of QR codes. They are smaller in size and are able to hold a larger quantity of data than QR codes, while they can also be wrapped around cylindrical items for use on products such as tins or bottles.

How it works: Just like QR codes, the image of the iQR code contains unique identifying data that can be recognised by any QR reader application within a smartphone, which reacts to the information.

This will then send the user to a dedicated web page, which provides more information on the product and allows them to download coupons, vouchers and much more direct to the phone.   

Is anyone using it? Not yet. The technology is in development by QR developers Denso Wave, a sub-division of Toyota, but it is not known when it will be made widely available for use.

At present, it has only been seen in use in Japan, with no word on any European or UK launch. However, given the improvements and enhanced uses that the technology would find, it could well be available sooner rather than later.

Digital watermarking

What is it? Digital watermarking is a similar technology to QR codes in essence, but with the very big difference that there is no visible way of knowing the technology is in use on a printed item, unless this is specifically made clear.

This has the benefit of providing information without having a visual impact on the media it’s distributed on, unlike QR codes, which are not always attractive

How it works: Information is embedded within an image ahead of printing and can then be viewed through a smartphone camera via a dedicated application, which can read and interpret the data.

This can be anything from links to dedicated web pages, competitions, vouchers, coupons and even the ability to purchase items.

Is anyone using it? Digital Space is one of the most notable players in this market, with FHM and The Telegraph  among its clients; the technology was recently used across FHM Collections’ Autumn 2011 fashion edition.

To try out digital watermarking for yourself, turn to page 22 of The Power of Print supplement, where Digital Space managing director Adrian Fleming has prepared an example. Just follow these instructions to interact with the image at the top of page 22 and you will be taken to a video about our cover illustration.

1 Download the free Digital Space app from your smartphone app store
2 Open the app and position the device about 15cm over the image above
3 Move the handset closer, allowing the camera to focus
4 At the beep, it will take you to the digital experience

Which is best?

All four technologies clearly have their role to play, and each one offers something different to those thinking of embracing the new era of digital engagement with print materials. For Ambarish Mitra, chief executive of augmented reality provider Blippar, the benefit of AR is its ability to "bridge the gap between the print and the online world".

"Print is critical to what we do. Newspaper adverts, outdoor ads, product packaging – it’s all print-led," he says. "AR has had a stigma as being gimmicky, but it can offer a proper business model for brands as part of their advertising campaigns."

He explains that the technology not only offers the chance for brands to offer unique content to consumers, but also provides clear metrics on the way in which their adverts are being viewed.

"Brands have never been able to track what happens to print ads like they can online, but with AR they can see the exact engagement customers have with their adverts," he says.

Perhaps the technology set for the biggest growth, though, is Near-field communication (NFC). Mobile phone manufacturers are adding the technology to their devices, allowing consumers to interact with all sorts of print and marketing materials.

For Giancarlo Cutrignelli, international product marketing manager at NXP, a company that produces NFC chips, growth will only be limited by lack of awareness of its potential.

"NFC has been a mature technology for some time and now it’s about educating businesses of its capabilities," he explains. "NFC chips are small enough to be used in items such as magazines, brochures and even product labels, so there’s a wealth of uses for the technology."

The importance of education on the capabilities of new forms of print technologies is something that Digital Space director Adrian Fleming believes is crucial to the growth of digital watermarking.

"The fact that our technology is invisible is it’s best and worst feature. You have to educate the audience, but once they understand it, they see the opportunities it can offer," he says.

"With QR codes, for example, you are making a compromise on the design of a page. We don’t want the technology to become spam. We want people to want the content, to take the steps to request it."

While QR codes have their naysayers, this is perhaps the technology that has helped drive the most awareness of future print-digital technologies. With the next generation of iQR Codes likely to start hitting the market in the future, it should remain popular and widely used.

Ultimately, though, each kind of technology will appeal to different types of businesses for different reasons. Adrian Fleming sums it up:  "These new forms of technology only add value if they’re used in the right way."