Google Is Working On A Feature That Makes Scanning QR Codes Easier From Afar – News18

If you have an Android phone and have tried to make a payment or scan a QR code that was far away, you may have had trouble scanning it, even with the zoom feature. However, it appears that Google’s new feature will let you easily scan QR codes that are far away by “auto-zooming.”

Google is reportedly working on a new feature that will zoom in on a QR code when it detects it in the camera frame, making it easy to scan codes for payments and getting information, as found in the latest Google API available to developers.

Google’s new QR zooming feature was discovered in the new bundled ML Kit Barcode Scanning API library version 17.2.0, as reported by Mishaal Rahman. This feature works with Google’s code scanner, both in the Google QR Code Scanner system app and when integrated into other apps, as noted by The Verge.

Google notes that the “code scanner API provides a complete solution for scanning code without requiring your app to request camera permission,” and this maintains user privacy. 

Google also stated that “using this API is ideal for apps that require seamless code scanning without the need for a custom UI or camera experience.” The system is already included in your devices’ Google Play services, so it does not increase the size of apps.

Mishaal Rahman points out that this auto-zoom capability may make its way to devices running Android 13 or later—given that the QR code scanner in Android 13 and later uses the same ML Kit’s Barcode Scanning library.

It is uncertain when, or if, this feature will be available on Android phones, or what role would the camera quality play in it. However, if it does become available, it will make it much easier for users to scan QR codes without having to manually zoom in. This feature would be ideal for markets like India—where users frequently scan UPI QR codes to make payments.