I don't think that an average user wants to type in cryptic urls rather than simply scanning a code. At least, if they know what to do. But I don't know how the adoption rate for QR code scanning is. Do the stock android camera app and the ios camera support QR codes yet?
And if you break your camera, you can't use QR-codes. Happened to me with Whatsapp Web.
Like I said, QR-codes are awful at usability and have extreme pitfalls. Shortlinks are quick, fast and concise and they take much less space.
Also, shortlinks does not mean "cryptic urls". For example slush.org/L01 is much, much better and faster than some QR-code, it's wayyyy more accessible and also more shareable. You can also tell about it to people with just words that they can easily remember.
And if your phone is broken? Or you want to share the resulting location? Do you share the QR-code? How about if your phone is charging somewhere else? Please.
QR codes are awful and have huge issues and pitfalls.
