Google to Give the Android QR Code Scanner a Fresh Look
It looks like tech giant Google is getting ready to redesign Android QR code scanners. With the technology gaining popularity in different regions day by day, additional updates will help smooth out the experience for Android users.
However, Google has not announced any of this yet. Instead, this information was found in the inner workings of the v24.28.30 beta of Google Play services.
It is an essential software found in every certified Android device. It enables key functions and core Android services such as emergency calls and the Find My Device app. It also provides the framework that developers use to integrate Google services into their apps.
Google Play services are always being updated. These new versions can be used early by developers who wish to test their app's functionality before the update is rolled out. This early access can be found through the Google Play Services Public Beta Program.
The Android Authority, an independent online publication dedicated to covering news and reviews about Android, made this discovery.
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The redesign comes with a new user-friendly interface
This new look aims to provide an improved user experience to Android device owners. To scan QR code with Android QR code scanner in the system’s current version, users would need to access the functionality from the phone’s Quick Settings.
Once the scanner is open, a large viewfinder frames the code before it is automatically scanned. Below the viewfinder, text stating “Scan QR code” guides users.
It uses the phone’s camera to scan QR codes. The flash tool can light up codes in dark places and the button to toggle this function is normally found at the top right of the screen.
Beside the flashlight icon is a button for users to provide feedback on the scanner. In the top left corner is an x-shaped button for closing the application.
Users can also scan a QR code from an image in their gallery by pressing the Scan from Photo button, which features a gallery icon and is located at the bottom of the phone screen.
In the redesign, these three buttons (flashlight, feedback, and Scan from Photo) can all be found in a new pill-shaped box above the viewfinder. The new user interface (UI) also removes the close button from the top left.
Meanwhile, the “Scan QR code” text has been moved to its own pill-shaped box and can now be read above the scanner’s viewfinder.
Aside from a new layout, the new QR scanner will also have a new animation that plays after it is activated. During this animation, the viewfinder expands slightly before returning to its original size.
Revamping the Android's QR code scanning from 2017
This potential update is expected to join the many updates Google has released for Android QR code scanners. Since its first release in 2022, this built-in functionality has gone through a few new versions before its current look.
Scanning codes through a built-in scanner in a QR code generator began with Android 9.0 (Pie). Thanks to its integration with Google Lens, this version of the operating system was the first to have a camera application capable of scanning QR codes.
To use this function, simply open the camera app and point it at the QR code. The phone will then display the URL it reads from the code’s data modules.
A major update to this function was introduced with Android 13.0. With this new version, a dedicated system for scanning QR codes was introduced.
This application can be accessed from the Quick Settings panel by swiping down from the top of a phone screen. However, the button to access the scanner had to be added by the user by configuring the panel.
This update meant that users didn’t have to scroll through their phone’s interface to open their camera.
The dedicated QR code scanner was also updated to zoom in on a QR code when scanning automatically.
In the years before native QR code scanners
For older versions of Android (up to Android 8.0), a third-party application was needed to scan QR codes. Fortunately for users, many were available during this time.
Several apps were capable of scanning a whole host of barcodes. Such applications also had the ability to keep a log of QR codes scanned previously. These apps also used the phone’s camera and gallery, so permission to access them was always asked.
Some QR code scanners, like the one in the Kaspersky app, could only scan QR codes.
While Android 9.0 to 12.0 were able to scan QR codes without using third-party apps, they still made use of other Google applications. This was mostly done using Google Lens, an image recognition software that can get information from pictures using a neural network.
While Google Lens had its own app, several built-in Google apps were also integrated with the technology. This meant that users didn’t need the Google Lens app itself to scan QR codes.
Aside from the native camera, Google Screen Search, Google Assistant, and Google Photos also had Google Lens functions in their software.
To this day, these applications can still be used to scan QR codes. However, this won’t stop Google from continuing to update Android QR code scanners. While the release of the new redesign is currently unknown, users can still expect improved QR code scans in the future.
