Apple iTag

As I've said before, the fact that Apple did not ship a tag reader on the latest iPhone indicates to me that an Apple tag is in development and is not yet ready for prime time.

Why? Because why would Apple want to ship a Microsoft Tag Reader or some QR Code Reader with their phone - they'll want to leverage the millions of iPhones out there by supplying their own tag format and reader.

Let's call Apple's tag an "iTag" - even though iTag is already registered for a photo tagging site.

Now being Apple, I imagine that an iTag will have to look cooler than any other tag format so it will probably be Jackson Pollacked in some way (see image). It will also do a lot more than current tag formats "out of the box". Here are some ideas as to how an Apple iTag would be used other than via an iTag reader app on the iPhone itself:

1. MobileMe includes a tag repository so that all iTags you have snapped on your iPhone are automatically uploaded to your MobileMe account.

2. Every digital asset on iTunes is displayed with an iTag attached - e.g. snap the tag to get more info about the band/movie, a promo code, a cross-selling music clip, a trailer etc.

3. iPhoto includes an iTag manager to create and display your iTag collection.

4. iMovie generates an iTag automatically for your movie file so when the tag is snapped your movie is played.

5. Keynote generates an iTag automatically so that when the tag is snapped your presentation is presented in a viewer.

Please comment if you have other ideas - I'm beginning to feel like the Mekon (A Dan Dare reference if you are lost).

iTags could be huge the day they are released if they are integrated with other Apple application assets from the start - something that, puzzlingly, Microsoft has not done with its own tags.

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