[oefrha]

> on her iPhone the QR code reader is embedded in her camera app... I wonder why it is not the same in any version of Android that I have used

Apple added a builtin QR code scanner to the camera app in iOS 11 due to the ridiculously widespread use of QR codes in China.[1] I guess (Google's version of) Android doesn't have that because Google doesn't derive much value from that market, and QR codes don't have as much mindshare in other major markets.

[1] They specifically called out the Chinese market when introducing the feature in WWDC 2017 keynote:

> Of course, there's much more than we have time to talk about today, but I want to highlight some features of special interest to our customers in China, like QR codes that are integrated right into the main camera, accessible from the lock screen, super use Yes, super useful for customers in China.

https://asciiwwdc.com/2017/sessions/101

[Daho0n]

Android has had a buil-in QR scanner for years. Looking in this thread at least OnePlus, Pixel, Motorola and Samsung has it in the default app. As far as I know it is part of android.

[srg0]

Huawei has QR scanner built-in in the gallery app https://consumer.huawei.com/en/support/content/en-us00326153...

I believe that its built-in app also has a QR scanner in HiVision package, but it requires to accept a scary privacy agreement.

Firefox for Android embeds a QR scanner in its address bar: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/scan-qr-codes-firefox-a...