The lastest ixkio product features and updates.
Dynamic Response mode is now available across all our plans.
The recent plan updates combined the Redirect and Direct reponse modes together for all users. This allows all users to use the ixkio platform as a Redirect or Direct response platform depending on their use cases.
However, until now, each tag needed to be configured as a Redirect tag (tags scans visit ixkio and instantly redirect to another web page) or a Direct Response (tags scans visit ixkio and ixkio serves the landing page). Dynamic Response changes that. Now tags can be configured, using Rules, to do both responses.
The most common use case is for NFC tags that are used for maintenance. In combination with our powerful SmartAccess system, a single NFC tag can provide a Redirect Response to one user (the customer) and a Direct Response to another user (the engineer).
For example, the customer might scan the tag to see brand or product information suitable for them. Maybe a customer user manual or upgrade options. This can be via a Redirect to your brand website.
An engineer - having been given authorisation with a scan of a SmartAccess card - can tap the _same_ tag and be presented with a Direct Response page containing system and service information stored in the ixkio platform.
This new multi-response option gives complete flexibility to how your tags respond. You can even create multi-layered responses with Rules depending on the SmartAccess authorisation, tag authentication, user interactions and more.
We’ve updated our pricing plans to better align with the wide range of ways people use ixkio.
The previous Flex Redirect and Flex Direct plans have been consolidated into two new options: Flex and Flex Pro.
Both plans now support both Redirect and Direct Response modes, giving you full flexibility in how you manage and deliver tag interactions. Flex Pro additionally includes authentication features for users who require enhanced security and verification.
We’ve also introduced a new TapStart plan designed specifically for low–tag-volume scenarios, ideal for use cases such as churches, reviews platforms, small organisations, or any situation where many tags share a single encoded link. TapStart includes a limited number of tags but provides access to the full suite of features, making it a cost-effective solution for simpler deployments.
The previous Flex API plan has been retired. For customers who use ixkio primarily as a backend authentication API, we now offer tailored quotes and custom plans to better meet the specific needs of these integrations.
Links created in the Direct Response templates can now be enhanced with icons. Designed primarily for customers looking to use Direct Response as a multi-link (linktree) type of landing page, it's a small enhancement that will make a big difference.
We've added SmartAccess information into the scan stats to show which card was enabled at the point of scan. The stats will now show if a SmartAccess tag was used for the tag scan and if so, which SmartAccess tag and SmartAccess group. Information available both in the console and at stats download.
We've improved the association performance where file uploads for 10k+ tags were used. Some users had been seeing timeout errors and the coding updates should now resolve these issues.
Clusters have been more popular than we expected ! To help users use the Clusters more easily, we've update the interface for adding Clusters, including the ability to search - allowing for larger deployments.
Our widely-used Locus feature, which enables updates and modifications to tag status and information directly from the ixkio app, is now being integrated into Direct Response. By using Locus in Direct Response, any person scanning a tag can then update tag information with a click of a button. For example :
Locus Actions can be used in check in / check out scenarios where a tag scan can be used to monitor item status.
Locus Actions can be used to release a product or tag. As an action can move a tag from one Batch to another, it's then possible to create a completely new tag scan experience - activated just from a scan.
Locus Actions on Direct Response can also be combined with SmartAccess. In doing so, you can control the response experience only to authorised users which can then modify tag data directly from the scan. The result is a powerful, multi-level system which allows changes of information for different levels of user.
SmartAccess is one of our most powerful features so far. It allows tags to display different data - via Redirect or Direct Response - based on the authorisation of the person scanning. However, to make things easier - it's not based on typical usernames and password.
SmartAcces uses authentication grade access cards (or keyfobs, stickers, wristbands) to enable time-limited authorisation. The user simply scans the SmartAccess card and then, for a limited time that you can control, the user can access alternative content via a tag scan.
In combination with authentication tags, it provides a secure, powerful way to provide access to instruction documents, product information, service records and more to authoristed users - but then product info and marketing to all other users.
But of course, this is ixkio, so that's not all. It's possible to layer the SmartAccess users so that you can have multiple levels of access - allowing a single NFC tag to provide a whole range of information to users based on their authorisation.
SmartAccess is available on Direct Response and Redirect plans.
We've updated the plan structure to better reflect how people are using the ixkio platform. Our new Flex plans now focus on API, Redirect or Direct Response with the ability to add additional modules as required.
The new, more flexible plan structure is designed to allow customers to tune their plan exactly to their requirements instead of paying for features that aren't used.
Additionally, our new Flex Direct plan brings the powerful authentication and tag management features together with an easy to use drag and drop style page designer. Dynamic data, full tag authentication, tag assignment and more - all in a single package.
For our customer base on our older plans - Flex, Flex Pro and Flex Alpha, there's no need to change plan. Contact us to discuss options and to find out whether the new plan structure might save you money.
We've added a new 'Core' data store at the Batch level called Batch Codes. Available on plans, this additional field provides substantial advanced flexibility in the management of grouped tags sharing the same SKU number or generic ID. Batch Codes can be dynamically integrated into a redirect URL using subtags.
Batch Codes can be used during Assignment or with Locus to move tags around the platform with mobile tag scans.
We've modified the 'Switch' feature on Assignment to allow quick changes to where scanned NFC tags will be assigned. Switch now works with Batch Codes to allow a series of items with the same SKU to be quickly assigned to a Batch.
For example, a collection ot t-shirts has been fitted with generic NFC tags from a pool Batch on ixkio. On ixkio, you enter that t-shirts SKU as a Batch Code. You can now scan one of the SKU barcodes (EAN, QR code or a QR code printed from ixkio) on the item and then quickly assign all those tags with a simple scan to that Batch on ixkio. A quick scan of another SKU with the Switch feature and you can start assigning to another Batch. Super quick - super flexible.
For our users that have implemented QR code only solutions, we now also added the ability to assign (and Check) QR codes. The Asssign feature on the mobile app will launch a QR reader instead of an NFC tag scan.
We've upgraded the Locus tag management system through the whole platform including major mobile app upgrades. Locus is used for moving, naming and controlling NFC tags once they are in place. All Locus features are now App based instead of mobile browser based and we've added a heap of new features including :
We've also substantially modifed the interface to allow for easier Locus setup including modification of displayed data, post submit functions (such as marking as assigned) and more.
But that's not all. We will shortly be adding even more Locus features including the ability to add photos to a Tag Code, geolocation support and more advanced tag management for check in/check out scenarios.
Ixkio is already one of the most advanced NFC tag management platforms available. And we are making it even better.
We've beta launched support for additional NTAG424 authentication encoding formats on both API and Redirect response modes.
The latest changes allow for support of encypted CMAC and PICCData in six different formats - up from the original two - with multiple key support. Settings for different encoding formats are managed at the Tag Code level allowing for different tags - event within the same batch - to be encoded in different formats.
In addition to the latest platform changes, support for the new encoding formats is being built into the latest App release to allow for authentication NTAG424 tag encoding for custom API structures.
Full release is expected in June 2024. If you are an existing ixkio customer and are interested in beta testing the new NTAG424 encoding formats for either Redirect or API, contact us for the features to be enabled on your account.
We've released some additional updates to the NTAG424 encoding feature available through the ixkio mobile app.
Flex Alpha users can now encode NTAG424 tags for API response mode. We've added the ability for API users to add their own domain name URL and then dynamically encode authentication NTAG424 tags using their own domain for authentication via ixkio's API. Ixkio will automatically generate the keys and store against the tags. It's also possible to encode the tags dynamically using the CUID (customer unique ID).
The structure of the URL can be modified using the ixkio subtags system to control where in the URL the count, unique code and CUID/XUID are placed.
For customers using their own custom domain on ixkio with Redirect Response mode, it's now possible to encode NTAG424 tags with the ixkio App with that custom domain.
We are currently beta testing :
- more flexibility in the API encoding to include NTAG424's encrypted meta (count + UID) mirroring option
- dynamic unencrypted encoding of the tag UID within the URL
Clusters have now been released in full across all Flex Alpha plans.
Clusters allow the categorisation of Batches to provide a more manageable system on large scale deployments. By using Clusters, Batches can now be marked and filtered by additional parameter - such as colour or size. This allows Batches of tags to be released under the same Tag Group while still being able to manage at scale. Cluster information can of course be dynamically included in CodeLink, API response or Redirect URL as required.
We are now beta testing multiple Cluster options and Cluster based rules for release later in July 2024.
We've launched v4 of the ixkio mobile app with a number of improvements and updates including :
Ixkio users can now encode their own NTAG424 tags directly from the mobile App. Ixkio will create the keys, automatically assign them to your Tag Codes and manage all the settings. Can be used with custom domains and coming shortly, API response modes.
We've improved the Check feature to provide more information including tag authentication confirmation for NTAG424 tag users :
Android users can now benefit from faster tag encoding by using the continuous encode mode. No screen taps are required between encoding large number of tags.
Smart Assign allows our mobile app users to dynamically change assignment batch destination via a QR code scan.
Administrators can generate Smart Assign QR codes for Batches within the Console. These can be printed out or emailed as a pdf directly to factories or production lines. Users on the ixkio mobile app who are assigning NFC tags to specific product lines can then scan the QR codes to change assignment Batch.
For example, a Smart Assign QR code might be created for a 'Blue Handbag' and a 'Red Handbag'. On production, the mobile user would first scan the Blue Handbag QR code and then start assigning tags which would be moved into the Blue Handbag batch. Then, they can scan the Red Handbag QR code to start assigning tags to the Red Handbag batch.
Smart Assign provides a dynamic ability for factories and production lines to have limited but flexible control over assignment.
With the growing demand from our customers to store additional data for product passports and similar applications, we've expanded the number of Extended Data fields available on our Alpha plan and have now incorporated Extended Data into the Flex plan.
We are also currently beta testing with a limited set of customers a more advanced Extended Data management system. We expect this to be released by early January 2024. If you are an existing customer looking for more advanced Extended Data options, drop us a message and we can discuss options with you. ate
It is now possible to set a time period that will automatically log users out of our App.
Our App will then require users to log back in if they wish to continue using it.
We've added a new option for mobile app encoding. Currently, to prevent accidental duplicate encoding, ixkio stops Tag Codes being re-encoded with the ixkio mobile app if they have already been encoded.
For customers who want to encode a large number of NFC tags with the same Tag Code, we've added 'Encode Unlimited' which will ignore a Tag Codes Encode status and allow for endless encoding.
Tag Codes now have Encode Status alongside Assignment Status. The Encode Status flag can be used for your own use for keeping track of which Tag Codes you have encoded. However, it's primarily designed for users encoding using our ixkio mobile apps as a mechanism to prevent accidental duplicate encoding.
We have now updated our iPhone and Android Apps to allow users full Assignment features. We are now retiring mobile browser based Assignment. The latest Apps are available on the Apple and Google Play stores.
Our powerful Codelink has been upgraded to allow the dynamic linking of both Core and Extended data from ixkio to your landing pages. Customers using ixkio to store product related data such as serial numbers or manufacturing information, can now pass this dynamically to landing pages using CodeLink with a single line of javascript. CodeLink works with Shopify, Wix, Webflow, Squarespace and custom built websites.
From December 2023, it will no longer be possible to encode tags through a browser/USB device. However, it is now possible to encode tags through our new mobile app!
This app is available on Android and iOS.
Ixkio now allows the creation of multiple CodeLink codes for more advanced multi-site management.