Turbulent start
Beyond industrial and technological purposes, the first uses of the QR code were in advertising. Or is it that they already forgot that just a few years ago many promotional posters on the street had these boxes? Its scanning used to redirect to microsites or videos, and in the best cases it allowed the visualization of augmented reality through photographic filters or the appearance of all kinds of computational characters. Few knew about this because, let’s face it, few had the necessary applications for reading.
This tepid response was attributed to various reasons. The reduced memory of some cell phones of yesteryear, the reluctance to use data to display promotional material, as well as all kinds of technological gaps that resulted in their ignorance. So much so that his disappearance seemed imminent …
At least until COVID-19 arrived and a series of countless restrictions to eradicate it. This included minimizing physical contact, not only between individuals but also with all kinds of objects that could contribute to the transmission of the virus. Such was the case of restaurant menus, which ended up being sacrificed by digital counterparts that invariably required the installation of QR readers on cell phones.
This was just the beginning, because today the uses have exploded. We are not referring to movie or concert tickets in which we only use the image, but those practices in which we require the application. This includes the replacement of brochures, cover letters and wedding invitations, downloads of programs and apps on our mobiles, payment of services and more. There are even those who have tattooed QR codes! These can link to photographs or videos of their loved ones, show personal information in case of need as a person to contact in case of accident or blood type, or how could it be otherwise for the times that run, inform about the coronavirus vaccination status.
The future of the QR code
After almost two years of widespread use, there are those who are still reluctant to the QR code, thinking that its use does not extend beyond restaurants. An error as common as it is forgivable if we consider the abruptness of this technological incorporation.
History tells us that all technological innovation must go through a long process of acceptance that only takes place when users understand that it is a unique and irreplaceable advance. That something is done that cannot be specified in any other way. The pandemic gave that opportunity to the QR code that today is the fastest and easiest way to transmit information in a matter of seconds.
If you don’t have a reading app yet, it may be time to start getting one. The QR code, made up of those unmistakable boxes, is here to stay.