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As an iOS user, I always assumed QR code reading was just built into Android's camera app. Is that not so?

by joemi 10y ago

Normal_gaussian 10y ago
Kind of. Google Now has QR code reading built in, if you have a QR code on the screen (e.g through a camera app) you can have google now scan the screen by holding the home button. I don't remember having to enable it, but if it isn't enabled for android users you can go into Google Now settings and enable "Screen Search".
mastax 10y ago
(from memory, may be out of date) The AOSP camera app does not support QR code reading, and neither does Google's camera app. Many Android phones will have one or both of these installed. Most phones also come with a manufacturer-specific camera app. I know new-ish Motorola phones will read QR codes, and I suspect that the "kitchen sink" vendors like Samsung would as well.
- Normal_gaussian 10y ago
  It is kind of indirect, Google Now Screen Search supports QR Codes, so if you have a way to get the code onto your screen (via the camera app viewfinder for example) you can read it.
hadrien01 10y ago
It's built in Windows Phone's camera app, but in Android phones I've tested, there's no QR code recognition.
user5994461 10y ago
Nope. Can't read QR code an android out of the box. You need to get 1 out of 100 applications from the app store, that competes for the one who can shows the most ads and be the least effective at decoding the picture. Are you saying that the iPhone camera can read QR code out of the box?
- wtbob 10y ago
  > You need to get 1 out of 100 applications from the app store, that competes for the one who can shows the most ads and be the least effective at decoding the picture. The ZXing Barcode Scanner doesn't show any ads. IIRC, they give it away for free because they want people to use their (open source, natch) barcode library. I've been very happy with it. This of course demonstrates a problem with the App Store model: neither Google nor Apple has a strong incentive or interest in directing users to the best, most secure, most privacy-preserving apps (particularly Google, who would prefer that privacy become a thing of the past): they would much rather that you buy something, or use some ad-ridden piece of nearly malware.
  - amk_ 10y ago
    Yeah, I find it so strange that the Google Authenticator setup includes a step to download a recommended 3rd-party scanner scanner, given that GA is pretty much the most important app security-wise you can install on the phone.
    - pYQAJ6Zm 10y ago
      I ditched GA after I tried Authy. Built-in QR scanner, plus syncing with non-mobile devices.
- a_e_k 10y ago
  There actually is a first-party app from Google that can read QR codes: Google Goggles. Besides QR codes, I've also found it handy for scanning the ISBN bar codes of books that I want to remember.
- joemi 10y ago
  > Are you saying that the iPhone camera can read QR code out of the box? No, I meant that iOS doesn't have any built-in apps for it, so I always assumed Android must since QR codes are so prevalent.

As an iOS user, I always assumed QR code reading was just built into Android's camera app. Is that not so?

by joemi 10y ago

As an iOS user, I always assumed QR code reading was just built into Android's camera app. Is that not so?

Kind of. Google Now has QR code reading built in, if you have a QR code on the screen (e.g through a camera app) you can have google now scan the screen by holding the home button. I don't remember having to enable it, but if it isn't enabled for android users you can go into Google Now settings and enable "Screen Search".

mastax 10y ago

(from memory, may be out of date) The AOSP camera app does not support QR code reading, and neither does Google's camera app. Many Android phones will have one or both of these installed. Most phones also come with a manufacturer-specific camera app. I know new-ish Motorola phones will read QR codes, and I suspect that the "kitchen sink" vendors like Samsung would as well.

Normal_gaussian 10y ago
It is kind of indirect, Google Now Screen Search supports QR Codes, so if you have a way to get the code onto your screen (via the camera app viewfinder for example) you can read it.

hadrien01 10y ago

It's built in Windows Phone's camera app, but in Android phones I've tested, there's no QR code recognition.

user5994461 10y ago

Nope. Can't read QR code an android out of the box. You need to get 1 out of 100 applications from the app store, that competes for the one who can shows the most ads and be the least effective at decoding the picture. Are you saying that the iPhone camera can read QR code out of the box?

wtbob 10y ago
> You need to get 1 out of 100 applications from the app store, that competes for the one who can shows the most ads and be the least effective at decoding the picture. The ZXing Barcode Scanner doesn't show any ads. IIRC, they give it away for free because they want people to use their (open source, natch) barcode library. I've been very happy with it. This of course demonstrates a problem with the App Store model: neither Google nor Apple has a strong incentive or interest in directing users to the best, most secure, most privacy-preserving apps (particularly Google, who would prefer that privacy become a thing of the past): they would much rather that you buy something, or use some ad-ridden piece of nearly malware.
- amk_ 10y ago
  Yeah, I find it so strange that the Google Authenticator setup includes a step to download a recommended 3rd-party scanner scanner, given that GA is pretty much the most important app security-wise you can install on the phone.
  - pYQAJ6Zm 10y ago
    I ditched GA after I tried Authy. Built-in QR scanner, plus syncing with non-mobile devices.
a_e_k 10y ago
There actually is a first-party app from Google that can read QR codes: Google Goggles. Besides QR codes, I've also found it handy for scanning the ISBN bar codes of books that I want to remember.
joemi 10y ago
> Are you saying that the iPhone camera can read QR code out of the box? No, I meant that iOS doesn't have any built-in apps for it, so I always assumed Android must since QR codes are so prevalent.