Google scanner to let Android phones read QR codes from across the room

Google is working on a new feature that will enable Android smartphones to automatically detects a QR code in the camera frame, zooms in and reads it. The Google code scanner API provides a complete solution for scanning code without requiring your app to request camera permission, while preserving user privacy, the company said in an update.

“Starting with version 16.1.0, you can enable auto-zoom to allow the Google code scanner to automatically scan barcodes that are far away from the camera,” Google added.

When users point their devices at a barcode, the scanner will intelligently detect and zoom in on the barcode.

This eliminates the need for manual zoom adjustments, making barcode scanning faster, more accurate and more accessible.

This will be achieved by delegating the task of scanning the code to Google Play services and returning only the scan results to your app.

“All image processing occurs on the device and Google doesn't store the results or image data. The API supports the same code formats as the ML Kit Barcode Scanning API and returns the same Barcode object,” said the tech giant.

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This API is ideal for apps that require seamless code scanning without the need for a custom UI or camera experience.

The implementation resides entirely within Google Play services, ensuring minimal impact on the size of your app.

The latest feature is currently available for developers and will soon be rolled out for the public. 

If developers implement the code scanner API, users won't have to grant camera permissions.