Remember when QR codes were the next big thing? In the U.S. you used to be able to find them on billboards, business cards — you name it. They were supposed to change the way we use our devices. Remember CurrentC? But the technology never really caught on stateside, mainly because users had to download a totally separate third-party app to scan them, and the whole system was pretty clunky.
But according to some reports on Twitter, QR codes in the U.S. are about to get a second chance, because the first iOS 11 beta has the ability to read QR codes via the native camera app. That means any iPhone users will be able to open their camera, point it at a QR code, and receive a prompt to follow a URL.
Check out the picture below to see what it looks like in action. Of course, because it’s a beta the feature may be tweaked (or eliminated entirely), but this simple implementation seems pretty Apple-like, and there’s a good chance it won’t get much more complicated than this.
Un QR Code est automatiquement reconnu par l’application Appareil photo dans iOS 11 : pic.twitter.com/sFqQ5Gqf9Y
— Nicolas Lellouche (@LelloucheNico) June 5, 2017
The feature reportedly can be toggled via the camera settings menu, but is turned on by default.
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Using QR codes are actually really convenient — they are a great alternative to having to type out a URL or manually input a selection. Just ask any mobile user in Asia where QR codes are used daily to order food, make payments — you name it. This trend is only increasing, and it seems Apple had no choice but to finally embrace the standard and offer native support to users.
Now it will be interesting to see if the U.S. circles back to its short-lived QR obsession. Marketers, if you’re listening, just please don’t start putting them on t-shirts again.
