Android phone users could get a huge free time-saving upgrade soon

If you're an Android phone user, you're probably used to getting cool new features and updates. While the core Android software is refreshed yearly, updates happen throughout the year, offering fixes and improvements to the experience.

Now, another upgrade looks like it's coming – and it could save you loads of time! The new feature is an auto-zoom which activates when scanning a QR code. It uses a machine learning algorithm to detect when a QR code is in the frame, and zooms in on it to attempt a quicker detection.

The feature was rumoured recently by popular tech tipster, Mishaal Rahman, who suggested the feature could be implemented in the future. Now, another user has found the feature and posted a video showing it in action.

It's a great upgrade. QR codes are absolutely everywhere these days, offering access to webpages in a quick and easy manner. That being said, they're not always the easiest things to pick up on camera. At some point you've probably found yourself contorting to get a good angle, or too far away from the code to really pick it up. This should remove one substantial barrier for that process.

It's not yet clear how soon the feature will roll out to devices. According to the shared video, it's already active in the beta software, which could signify a wider roll out soon. It's possible that the feature could launch as part of Android 14, which is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

It would be a worthwhile addition there. Currently, the suite of additional features said to come to the operating system is relatively small. While it's not exactly a headline feature, it's decent enough to boost the profile of an otherwise uninspiring release.

We'll know soon enough. The Android 14 operating system is expected to become publicly available this month. That's based on historic release schedules, as well as the intended timeline of the developer betas.

If you're already signed up to the beta, it's worth having a look on your device. You might find it there already, or there may be an update waiting for you to take advantage of it.