Is QR code reading really going to be a thing? Can we please figure out a better way to interact with phone<==>world than to force data through the camera?
I'm totally with you. QR codes are awfully cumbersome to interact with. If phones had an infrared receivers that might be another option.
Some phones used to have infrared receivers and they sucked. The bandwith was awful and establishing a connection required multiple attempts at keeping the phones steadily next to each others with the receivers/emitters facing each other. Even the camera is way better than that. Bluetooth or nfc might be more promising though.