Even though QR codes have been around for decades (invented back in 1994 in Japan), Android somehow fails to offer an easy solution for scanning and reading them. Every smartphone brand has its own method of doing this – some integrate the QR code scanner into the camera app, while others use dedicated apps. The most common way is to fire Google Lens and rely on its algorithms to discern the QR matrix and translate the information for you.This might change soon, though. According to screenshots, obtained by Android Police from a “trusted source”, Google is working on a way to launch a dedicated QR code scanner from the lock screen in Android 13. The screenshots also show a shortcut in the notification shade, giving users two handy and useful ways to scan QR codes without the need to launch the camera or a dedicated app.
Of course, it’s not clear what exactly happens when one taps on the new interface options – there are several possibilities. Google might’ve just put a shortcut to Google Lens at these two convenient locations, or there might be a QR scanning tool baked into Android 13.
Android 13 – everything we know so far
Even though the official Android 13 update is expected to hit devices in late Q3, early Q4 this year, there have been lots of leaks and rumors regarding the next version of Google’s mobile operating system.
Earlier last year, a code string on one of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) pages revealed that Android 13 will be called Tiramisu, sticking with Google’s “sweet” naming policy. Tiramisu is an Italian dessert made with eggs, sugar, mascarpone cheese, and some coffee flavor added on top.
Fast forward to December 2020, when the rumors about Android 13 really started to pile up. Another AOSP lead showed that Android 13 Tiramisu could support energy-sipping Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) Audio, which is expected to help Android 13 users enjoy an improved battery life and a more stable audio connection without sacrificing sound quality.
There was a fresh leak that hinted toward a new and easy way for Android users to transfer media between devices with a single tap. This alleged new functionality is expected to work in a similar way to the feature that allows iPhone users to tap their phone to move media on a nearby HomePod.
Just before Christmas, an exciting new feature leaked, suggesting that Android 13 users would be able to choose a different language for every app. This new feature is called Panligual and it will appear on the “App info” screen, giving users the ability to change app languages quickly and on an app by app basis.
A source from XDA Developers also suggested that Google may add a toggle switch in Android 13 Tiramisu to let users turn off a feature called Phantom Process Killer. This would remove the limit that Android sets for background forked processes (currently 32), and allow apps such as Termux to work flawlessly.
Toward the end of December, we also got to see some screenshots of most of the aforementioned Android 13 features, along with a new lock screen clock layout, notification permission options, and more.
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