Interoperability

Interoperability is the ability to share / link data and functions seamlessly between different manufacturers, platforms, and systems. The reason USB can be used on a PC from any manufacturer is that the USB standard has high interoperability.

One of the greatest strengths of the QR code is its extremely high interoperability. Because it has been internationally standardized as ISO/IEC 18004, the same QR code can be read correctly on a smartphone from any manufacturer, in any country, and with any QR code reader app. Being an open standard that does not depend on a specific company or platform is what supports its spread around the world.

In the payment field, interoperability can become an issue. A PayPay QR code can be read only with the PayPay app, and a WeChat Pay QR code can be used only with WeChat. A situation in which different QR codes proliferate for each payment service is inconvenient for both stores and users. To solve this problem, efforts are under way to integrate multiple payment services into a single QR code, such as JPQR (Japan) and SGQR (Singapore).

GS1 Digital Link is also a standard that aims to improve interoperability. It is designed to integrate product identification (GTIN), consumer-facing information (URL), and logistics data into a single QR code that can be read by POS registers, consumers' smartphones, and logistics systems alike.