"Stamps will bear matrix codes to prevent fraud and to allow tracking."
" Is there an implication here that older postage will not be valid anymore?"
Several changes are proposed to be introduced within the next three years, affecting the posting and the delivery of letter post items and parcels in Germany. Just to mention a few points:
Franking by mobile phone will become available at no extra cost, just for the price of the postage.
There will be more automated parcel delivery stations and new automated combined letter and parcel acceptance stations.
Even ordinary letters will become trackable, and electronic delivery notices are intended for letters.
Stamps will bear matrix codes to prevent fraud and to allow tracking.
Parcels will be trackable in real time so that delivery windows can be significantly narrowed.
More information (at the moment only available in German):
https://www.dpdhl.com/de/presse/pressemitteilungen/2020/deutsche-post-und-dhl-paket-kuendigen-neue-digitale-services-zur-qualitaetsverbesserung-an.html
and in the PDF files linked from this page.
-jmh (not a postie, just an interested customer)
re: New digital services announced by Deutsche Post AG and DHL Paket
"Stamps will bear matrix codes to prevent fraud and to allow tracking."
re: New digital services announced by Deutsche Post AG and DHL Paket
" Is there an implication here that older postage will not be valid anymore?"