
Why QR codes are on the rise - yarapavan
https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/11/economist-explains-0
======
yarapavan
Apple's iOS11 update allows for direct QR code scanning with the native camera
app [1][2].

[1] [https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/05/the-iphones-camera-app-
can...](https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/05/the-iphones-camera-app-can-now-read-
qr-codes/) [2] [https://blog.qrd.by/2017/09/21/iphone-ios11-qr-code-
reading-...](https://blog.qrd.by/2017/09/21/iphone-ios11-qr-code-reading-
camera/)

~~~
sowbug
Also [3].

[3] [https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-
explains/2017/11/e...](https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-
explains/2017/11/economist-explains-0)

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expertentipp
Sweet, now we only need a QR code reader app which doesn’t need the permission
to the contacts, to sent sms, to install other software, which doesn’t display
add taking half of the screen, and which decodes the QR code _on the client_
i.e. no internet connection necessary (i might be scanning sensitive
information).

~~~
majewsky
For the no-ad and no-internet-connection requirements:
[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi...](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android)
\-- You can also install it from F-Droid because it's open-source:
[https://github.com/zxing/zxing](https://github.com/zxing/zxing)

I suppose you can use that to compile your own APK that does not request any
permissions (besides, obviously, "Use camera").

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ksec
QR Code has literally no barrier of entry, anyone who wants to receive money
in China for whatever they are selling, simply print out a QR Code with
Printer.

I still do not believe that QR Code is the Holy Grail, as media in China and
WeChat like to paint it. For anyone who has been to China, and lived in China
for a while will know pretty much everything in China has QR Code.

While I believe it has its use, I still dont think QR Code should be the only
way to access, but rather something to argument on. NFC-F _, Felica is still
10 times better in Transport payment where response time is everything,
especially in tube /underground like Japan Railway. Unless someone can invent
a way where by me showing QR Code and reading it by a Optical Reader is faster
then NFC. Which i am not entirely sure if it is possible.

_ If anyone could shine any light as to why something as good as Felica,
invented, implemented and used from 20 years ago only make it to a standard
body last year.

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gumby
I never understood why QR codes took off in the first place -- by the time
people started using them it seemed just looking for URLs in the camera image
and letting people click on them with their finger would work as well.

~~~
bonesss
Cheapo handheld scanners and poor lighting conditions.

QR codes have a lot of the same contrast benefits that barcodes have, and it's
historically been hard to make an OCR-based scanner (for stocking shelves,
lets say), with an acceptable retail price. Lots of industrial uses preclude
touch surfaces, and lots of industrial areas preclude the kinds of displays
you find on normal phones and such. And OCR in random lighting conditions,
with random angles, and a little hand-jiggle gets ugly quick.

There are also packaging benefits with QR codes. They are fixed size
regardless of content, and have a common appearance. "apple.com/product" is
fine to put on a sign, but "www3.hp2.hpe.com/enterprise-
cms/na/en/v2/update4/supplierhub/supplier17/product.asmx?&id=BUYTHIS&source=FROMMYSIGN"
and the like become a presentation and usability issue ;)

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nkristoffersen
The reason I bet on is now Apple made it integrated into the stock Camera app.
The QR reader is very clean (as Apple is to do).

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sedzia
Shameless plug: with our API ([https://voucherify.io](https://voucherify.io))
you can generate, distribute, and track QR codes

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vfulco
Wechat is way ahead on this gang.

~~~
vfulco
Whatever.

