[France] One week after launch, Mobiletag has seen its new barcode-reading application, called Universal Reader, hit number 1 in the free Productivity category of the iPhone App Store in France.
Founded in 2006, the French company not only develops barcode-reading software but is also behind the development of flashcode, the standard 2D barcode or tag used in France. It launched its first mobile application, a 2D barcode reader for the iPhone, in October 2009.
Aside from the iPhone, the new application – which scans various 1D and 2D barcodes (EAN 13, UPC, Datamatrix, flashcode, Fotokody and QR-code) – is available on all the other major mobile platforms (Android, Symbian, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile).
After scanning a barcode via a mobile phone’s camera, the application triggers a price comparison service, allowing users to see if and where the particular scanned product is sold cheaper. Therefore, if the lowest price isn’t on the web but in a particular store, the Mobiletag application will bring-up a Google Map and direct you to it. The application is available in English and French and also integrates various social features, enabling users to easily share product price information via Twitter and Facebook.
Mobiletag received a €4 million investment from Alven Captial, XAnge Private Equity and IDF Capital in October 2008.