SMS codes have long been less secure than other forms of authentication. With QR codes, Google aims to reduce users' dependency on carriers for account verification.

Gmail will soon ditch SMS codes for two-factor authentication, and use QR codes instead. This will reduce the impact of global SMS abuse.

According to Richendrfer, over the next few months, Google will be "reimagining" how the company verifies phone numbers. Gmail and other Google services will shift from texting six-digit codes over SMS to sending a QR code that a user would verify.