We’ve mentioned the RedLaser iPhone app a couple of times in the past, as it’s a good way to make sure you’re getting the best price whilst shopping on the high-street.
The RedLaser app has a built-in barcode scanner which automatically detects a barcode as you swipe the camera past it  and then it will show you an instant price comparison via Google Product Search and on Amazon.
It’s particularly good for books, CDs and DVDs, and is particularly useful around Christmas time, when you can use it to keep track of the presents you’re buying for everyone, whilst making sure you get the best price for them. Whilst it wasn’t a free app, download numbers were quite high, and were helped by the app featuring in one of Apple’s iPhone ads.
Free
And now eBay have decided they like the look of RedLaser, as they’ve acquired it from Occipital, and also made the app free from iTunes into the bargain.
They’re planning on adding their 200 million plus listings into the app, as well as products from more than 7,000 merchants partnered with Shopping.com, according to Mashable. eBay are also going to be using RedLaser’s barcode scanning technology in its other iPhone apps (RedLaser also licence the technology to other developers).
Whilst this will massively increase the products returned from the search, users will be wary of the independence of the results from now on, and also whether the results are flooded with eBay listings.
Time will tell whether the app continues to thrive or ends up pushing the majority of traffic through to eBay.
Do you use the RedLaser app? What impact do you think the eBay purchase will have? Let us know in the comments below.