Google intros store QR codes for phones
updated 11:20 am EST, Mon December 7, 2009
Google Favorite Places works with iPhone
Google today brought a taste of the Japanese market to the US through Favorite Places. The addition lets the most popular retail shops on Google Maps carry a QR code that can be scanned in by a camera-equipped phone. When read, the codes take the phone to the store's Place Page and give users an opportunity to read reviews, favorite the business or even get coupons.
The service works with many Android phones, but iPhones can recognize them as well as long as they have an app that recognizes QR codes. To give Apple's platform a lift, Google has said it's providing free copies of the iPhone app QuickMark (App Store) to the first 40,000 downloaders.
Only the top 100,000 businesses are initially receiving codes, but more that qualify should get the Favorite Places tags over time. Google also promises to let visitors write reviews from shops' Place Pages.
