The argument about QR codes I didn't totally agree with either, and I think that at least in Europe it caught-on pretty well.
One thing that could definitely be improved is if the built-in camera app on your phone automatically detected them and popped-up more info. When I first tried using a QR code, that's what I did, using the iphone camera app, and was disappointed to discover it didn't work this way.
Eliminating the need for an extra app and could dramatically boost their appeal, but the core concept is there.
QR codes never became popular here in Turkey. I'm pretty tech savvy guy but I asked all the questions when I first tried a QR code. There was an android appstore that I can't find a download link, just a QR code, I didn't know how to download them and gave up.
When I figured out that it holds information that must be interpreted by an app, I was amazed and fooled around to see how amazingly accurate it is at reading it.
But still, I see why it never caught-on here. We are a nation used to transfer pirated audio/video files, crack games and just don't expect things to work like "take a photo and a website opens". There is a poster about a concert with a QR code? Just google the artists name with the city name and the first result is the website selling the tickets. Why bother to find out what is that funny barcode, download an app for that? Just google it, you will find what's going on...
One thing that could definitely be improved is if the built-in camera app on your phone automatically detected them and popped-up more info. When I first tried using a QR code, that's what I did, using the iphone camera app, and was disappointed to discover it didn't work this way.
Eliminating the need for an extra app and could dramatically boost their appeal, but the core concept is there.