By Introducing Barcode Shell and pic2shop PRO for iPhone and Android, Vision Smarts Offers a Technically Superior Catalog of Barcode Related Apps and Tools for Developers

In a statement today, CEO Benoit Maison introduced Barcode Shell and pic2shop PRO for iPhone and Android, further solidifying Vision Smart's position on the forefront of barcode scanning using smart phones.

Barcode scanning by cell phone works by snapping a photo of the one-dimensional UPC/EAN barcode found on virtually every product packaging around the world.

"Equipped with proprietary technology in image recognition and real-time video analysis, software by Vision Smarts is able to read barcodes faster than any rival technology," says Benoit Maison.

Today's announcement follows the release of Pic2shop Version 4.1. At over 1 million downloads and supporting both iPhone and Android, Pic2shop is one of the most popular barcode-scanning applications for consumers.

"The new iOS4 allowed us to increase the speed of the scanner significantly. Our platform of apps are ideal for developers of retail, advertising and logistic solutions looking to integrate barcode scanning at an affordable rate," says Benoit Maison.

Here is a video demonstration.

The Vision Smarts catalog includes;

Pic2shop (App for Consumers) - A free barcode reader for iPhone and Android. Through the seamless interface consumers can quickly tap into product information and compare prices.

Pic2shop PRO (App for Businesses and Developers) - Build barcode-enabled apps by configuring your own web application and using pic2shop PRO. For example, employees can access product information on their iPhone over the internet or a company's intranet.

Barcode Shell (Service for Developers) - Deploy a barcode scanning feature under your own company brand with immediate presence in the iTunes App Store and Android Market. Can be deployed by an existing web team with no need to hire additional developers.

VSBarcodeReader (Library for Developers) - The software library and SDK licensed by developers to add barcode scanning to their iPhone apps. Used by numerous global shopping services because it is the fastest and most accurate barcode scanner for the iPhone.

According to Retail Systems Research, retailers are convinced the future will reside inside customer and employee mobile phones; 22% plan to implement technology for delivering information to customer-owned cell phones and PDAs, and 20% to store-owned devices.

"For consumers, a barcode scanning app such as pic2shop is fun, convenient and instantly gratifying -- For retailers, it is the ideal way to provide customers with competitive and reliable information," says Benoit Maison.