4 ms·

Why QR codes are on the rise

10 points by yarapavan 9y ago

yarapavan 9y ago
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-now-read-qr-codes/ https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/05/the-iphones-camera-app-can... [2] https://blog.qrd.by/2017/09/21/iphone-ios11-qr-code-reading-camera/ https://blog.qrd.by/2017/09/21/iphone-ios11-qr-code-reading-...
- jasikpark 9y ago
  the answer to why QR codes are a thing now is basically this.
- sowbug 9y ago
  Also [3]. [3] https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/11/economist-explains-0 https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/11/e...
- expertentipp 9y ago
  Firefox on iOS has QR reader as well, but it opens the decoded value in a browser window.
- m-p-3 9y ago
  I wish Google Camera, hell even stock Android would natively support them.
vfulco 9y ago
Wechat is way ahead on this gang.
- vfulco 9y ago
  Whatever.
ksec 9y ago
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.
expertentipp 9y ago
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 9y ago
  For the no-ad and no-internet-connection requirements: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi... -- 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").
- m-p-3 9y ago
  I like this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.secuso.privacyFriendlyCodeScanner https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.secuso.pri... Also available on F-Droid https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.secuso.privacyFriendlyCodeScanner/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.secuso.privacyFriendlyCo...
sedzia 9y ago
Shameless plug: with our API (https://voucherify.io https://voucherify.io) you can generate, distribute, and track QR codes
nkristoffersen 9y ago
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).
gumby 9y ago
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 9y ago
  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 ;)
- sowbug 9y ago
  QR codes have error correction. Text usually doesn't.

10 points by yarapavan 9y ago

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

jasikpark 9y ago
the answer to why QR codes are a thing now is basically this.
sowbug 9y ago
Also [3]. [3] https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/11/economist-explains-0 https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/11/e...
expertentipp 9y ago
Firefox on iOS has QR reader as well, but it opens the decoded value in a browser window.
m-p-3 9y ago
I wish Google Camera, hell even stock Android would natively support them.

vfulco 9y ago

Wechat is way ahead on this gang.

vfulco 9y ago
Whatever.

ksec 9y ago

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.

expertentipp 9y ago

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 9y ago
For the no-ad and no-internet-connection requirements: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxi... -- 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").
m-p-3 9y ago
I like this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.secuso.privacyFriendlyCodeScanner https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.secuso.pri... Also available on F-Droid https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.secuso.privacyFriendlyCodeScanner/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.secuso.privacyFriendlyCo...

sedzia 9y ago

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

nkristoffersen 9y ago

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).

gumby 9y ago

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 9y ago
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 ;)
sowbug 9y ago
QR codes have error correction. Text usually doesn't.