Apple jumps on China’s QR code bandwagon amid sharp drop in sales
The two-dimensional barcodes are a staple of life for the mainland’s 700 million mobile internet users. Now Apple wants a slice of the action
Apple has added QR code-reading to its cameras in an attempt to woo users in China, where the American technology giant has been losing ground to local rivals.
Though they’ve enjoyed limited popularity in the west, the two-dimensional barcodes have become an everyday essential for China’s more than 700 million mobile internet users. And it seems that Apple now wants a slice of the action.
The success of the Apple QR feature in China really depends on how many Chinese app developers want to collaborate with Apple and the extent of that collaboration
The new QR code support was the main feature aimed at the Chinese market unveiled by the California-headquartered company when it gave a preview of its iOS 11 operating system at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on Tuesday.
It will be available when iOS 11 is officially launched in the autumn and is expected to bring added convenience for mainland users as it will allow them to scan QR codes via their iPhone cameras without having to open individual apps anymore, Apple said in the presentation.
The new operating system comes with five other ‘localised’ features for Chinese consumers. These include Shanghainese dictation, the ability to use a phone number as Apple ID, and SMS fraud extension – a service that warns users of potentially fraudulent text messages.
“It is a wise move for Apple to embrace QR code as a way to better localise [its offerings] in China, given the decline of its iPhone shipments in the country,” said Jin Di, research manager at IDC China.