The history of QR codes

QR codes, or quick response codes, are two-dimensional barcodes that have become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives. They are used to store and quickly access a variety of information, such as website URLs, contact information, and product details. But, have you ever wondered about the history of QR codes and how they came to be?

Introduction

The origins of QR codes can be traced back to the early 1990s, when a Japanese company called Denso Wave Inc. developed the technology. The company was looking for a way to improve the speed and efficiency of inventory management in the automotive industry. At the time, barcodes were the standard for tracking inventory, but they could only store a limited amount of information and required a high-resolution scanner to read them.

Denso Wave Inc. developed QR codes as a solution to these limitations. QR codes are able to store much more information than traditional barcodes, and they can be read with a simple camera-enabled device, such as a smartphone. This made them much more versatile and useful for a wide range of applications, beyond inventory management.

QR codes quickly caught on in Japan, where they were first used in the automotive industry and then in other industries such as retail, logistics, and healthcare. They began to gain popularity in other parts of the world in the late 2000s, as smartphones became more widespread and the technology to read QR codes became more accessible.

How did QR codes evolve

1994: Denso Wave Inc. releases the first QR code standard, which can hold up to 7,000 characters of data.
1997: QR codes are used for the first time in a Japanese newspaper advertisement.
2000: QR codes are used in a campaign by the carmaker Toyota in Japan.
2002: QR codes are used in Japan for the first time to make mobile payments.

2007: The first QR code-enabled mobile phone is released in Japan, making it easier for consumers to scan codes.
2010: QR codes become more widely used in the United States, with companies such as Pepsi, Delta Air Lines, and Old Navy incorporating them into their marketing campaigns.
2011: QR codes are used in the United Kingdom for the first time to make mobile payments.
2012: QR codes become increasingly popular in China, with the number of QR code-enabled mobile phone users reaching 100 million.
2016: Google releases a new format of QR codes called the "Google Maps QR codes"
2020: QR codes are widely adopted as a contactless payment method in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022: Ozeki QR is released as the world's best QR code generation service

Overall, QR codes have been around for more than a quarter-century, they were initially used in Japan and then adopted in other countries, mainly in the US and UK, and recently becoming a widespread technology in China. QR codes have evolved over time, becoming more versatile and being used in various fields such as mobile payments, marketing, and transportation.

QR codes today

Today, QR codes are used in a wide range of applications, from marketing and advertising to transportation and healthcare. They have become a common sight in stores, on billboards, and in advertisements, making it easy for consumers to access information and make purchases. QR codes have also been used to access digital content, such as music, videos, and e-books, and to make payments at point-of-sale terminals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, QR codes have come a long way since their invention in the early 90s. From a tool for inventory management to a versatile technology that is used in a wide range of applications, QR codes have proven to be a valuable tool for businesses, consumers and society in general. It's hard to imagine a world without QR codes, as they have become an integral part of our daily lives, making it easy to access and share information.

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