Commbank app reads QR codes for easier BPAY

The Commonwealth Bank has expanded the functionality of its Kaching! payment app for iPhone with the addition of a QR code reader to be used in conjunction with with new codes on BPAY compatible bills.

The new feature is available now from the Apple App Store, and the QR code payment option will be on Australian Power & Gas and Sydney Water bills shortly. IT's easy to imagine more codes popping up quickly given how cheap and easy they are to create.

By scanning the code on bills with an iPhone camera, customers can pay bills with almost no manual data entry. The code will enter the customer and biller's codes into the Kaching! app, saving us from the most frustrating part of the process.

QR codes are a relatively old idea, but one that has never taken off in a big way. Marketers once saw these ugly black boxes as an important shortcut for getting prospective customers to their clients websites with codes on advertising posters in outdoor spaces, but consumers never warmed to the concept.

This is a great idea, though, and adds to the arsenal of Commbank's already excellent Kaching! app that already includes PayPass NFC payments, and transfers via SMS and Facebook.

The app is also available for Android, but doesn't include features like NFC payments.

Source: Commbank

Joseph Hanlon

Editorial Director | X | LinkedIn

Joe Hanlon has been immersed in mobile phones, plans and the internet for over a decade, having written for publications like CNET, Techradar, Gizmodo and Lifehacker. He steers the editorial ship and makes sure that we are always serving up the most useful guides and recommendations. If you ever bump into Joe on the street, don't be afraid to ask for a phone recommendation. It's embarrassing how much he enjoys talking about this stuff. He also loves listening to podcasts, so feel free to email Joe with recommendations.

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