Google Lens
{{short description|Image recognition tool developed by Google}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox software
| title = Google Lens
| name = Google Lens
| website = {{URL|https://lens.google/}}
| logo = Google Lens Icon.svg
| logo_size = 120px
| screenshot = Google_Lens_screenshot.png
| screenshot_size = 250px
| developer = Google
| released = {{start date and age|2017|10|04}}
| operating system = Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux
| included with = Google Pixel phones
| replaces = Google Goggles
| language = Lens is able to translate text into most languages supported by Google Translate. Shopping results are available in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, and the United States.
| language footnote = {{cite web |url=https://lens.google |title=Google Lens |website=lens.google |access-date=June 24, 2019}}
}}
Google Lens is an image recognition technology developed by Google, designed to bring up relevant information related to objects it identifies using visual analysis based on a neural network.{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/google-lens-app-gets-two-new-features/articleshow/69568473.cms|title=Google Lens app gets two new features|website=The Times of India|date=May 30, 2019 }} First announced during Google I/O 2017,{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-lens-is-augmented-ar-you-can-actually-use-snapchat-facebook-instagram/|title=Forget rainbow vomit, Google Lens is AR you can actually use|last=Nieva|first=Richard|date=May 18, 2017|work=CNET|access-date=July 4, 2017}} it was first provided as a standalone app, later being integrated into Google Camera but was reportedly removed in October 2022.{{Cite web |last=Schoon |first=Ben |date=13 December 2022 |title=Pixel phones lost a handy Google Lens shortcut – here's how you can still access it quickly |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/12/13/google-lens-pixel/ |website=9to5Google}} It has also been integrated with the Google Photos and Google Assistant app and with Bard (now Gemini) as of 2023.{{Cite news |last=Townsend |first=Tess |date=May 19, 2017 |title=Google Lens is Google's future |url=https://www.recode.net/2017/5/19/15666704/google-lens-key-example-ai-first-computer-vision |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729102358/https://www.recode.net/2017/5/19/15666704/google-lens-key-example-ai-first-computer-vision |archive-date=29 July 2017 |access-date=July 4, 2017 |work=Recode}}{{Cite web |title=Gemini Apps' release updates & improvements |url=https://gemini.google.com/updates |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=Gemini |language=en-US}}
Features
= Lens =
When pointing the phone's camera at an object, Google Lens will try to identify the object by reading barcode, QR codes, labels and text, and show relevant search results, web pages, and information.{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/googles-lens-feature-can-connect-your-phone-to-wifi-using-your-camera-2017-5?op=1|title=Google Lens can use your phone's CAMERA to do operations based on virtual analysis, like connecting your phone to a WiFi network|last=Villas-Boas|first=Antonio|date=May 16, 2017|work=Business Insider|access-date=July 4, 2017}} For example, when pointing the camera at a Wi-Fi label containing a network name and password, it will automatically connect to the scanned Wi-Fi network. Lens can also use images to identify text and can find results from Google Search or translate the text with Google Translate in augmented reality.{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=5 December 2022 |title=Google Lens replaces Google Translate's camera mode on Android and iOS |url=https://9to5google.com/2022/12/05/google-lens-translate-camera/ |website=9to5Google}} Lens is also integrated with the Google Photos and Google Assistant apps.
The service originally launched as Google Goggles, a previous app that functioned similarly but less capably.{{Cite news|url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/05/17/google-lens-brings-ai-understanding-to-assistant-and-photos/|title=Google Lens is a powerful, AI-driven visual search app|last=Conditt|first=Jessica|date=May 17, 2017|work=Engadget|access-date=July 4, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.androidcentral.com/google-lens|title=Google Lens: Everything you need to know|last=Dobie|first=Alex|date=October 6, 2017|work=Android Central|access-date=June 5, 2018|language=en}}
Lens uses more advanced deep learning routines that provide recognition capability, similarly to other apps like Bixby Vision (for Samsung devices released after 2016) and Image Analysis Toolset (IAT). During Google I/O 2019, Google announced these new features:
{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/googles-lens-can-calculate-tip-split-bill-translate-signs-2019-5|title=Google just showed off 4 major updates to its futuristic Lens technology that anyone who goes out to restaurants will love|last=Villas-Boas|first=Antonio|website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-05-11}}
- recognizing and recommending items on a menu
- calculating tips and bill splits
- showing how to prepare food from a recipe
- using speech synthesis (text to speech)
= Circle to Search =
On January 17, 2024, Samsung Electronics and Google announced Circle to Search,{{Cite web |date=2024-01-17 |title=Google reveals Circle to Search function for enhanced searching |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/138326/google-circle-to-search-feature |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=Shacknews |language=en}} a new feature that allows users to search the web by circling images that features Lens integration. The feature was originally just on the Samsung Galaxy S24 and the Pixel 8, but expanded to other phones from those manufacturers, including Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25.{{Cite web |title=Google's Circle to Search Is Coming to a Bunch of Other Pixel Devices |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/googles-circle-to-search-is-coming-to-every-pixel-phone-from-the-past-2-years/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=CNET |language=en|author-first1=Lisa|author-last1=Eadicicco|date=27 March 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Vonau |first=Manuel |date=2024-03-22 |title=What's new in Chrome 124: Changes to local password storage |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/google-chrome-124/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=Android Police |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=2024-05-08 |title=Google effectively brings Android's Circle to Search to any iPhone with new Lens shortcut |url=https://9to5google.com/2024/05/07/google-lens-circle-to-search-iphone/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=9to5Google |language=en-US}}{{cite web | url=https://9to5google.com/2025/01/22/circle-to-search-redesign/ | title=Google rolling out Circle to Search redesign with single tap for numbers, URLs | work=9to5Google | date=January 22, 2025 | last1=Li | first1=Abner }}
Availability
Google officially launched Google Lens on October 4, 2017, with app previews pre-installed into the Google Pixel 2,{{Cite news|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-lens-ships-with-pixel-2/|title=Pixel 2 Owners Get the First Glimpse of Google Lens Computer Vision Possibilities|last=Grigonis|first=Hillary|date=October 4, 2017|work=Digital Trends|access-date=October 13, 2017}} not yet widely available for other devices. In November 2017, the feature began rolling out into the Google Assistant for Pixel and Pixel 2 phones.{{Cite news|url=https://9to5google.com/2017/11/27/google-lens-widely-rolling-out-pixel-2/|title=Google Lens now more widely rolling out in Assistant on Pixel, Pixel 2 [Gallery]|last=Li|first=Abner|date=November 27, 2017|work=9to5Google|access-date=November 29, 2017|language=en-US}} A preview of Lens has also been implemented into the Google Photos app for Pixel phones.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/24/16533202/google-lens-roll-out-pixel-xl-phones|title=Google Lens starts rolling out to 2016 Pixel phones|last=Ong|first=Thuy|date=October 24, 2017|work=The Verge|access-date=October 25, 2017}} On March 5, 2018, Google officially released Google Lens to Google Photos on non-Pixel phones.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/6/17086688/google-lens-android-photos-launch-roll-out|title=Google Lens is coming to all Android phones running Google Photos|work=The Verge|access-date=2018-03-06}} Support for Lens in the iOS version of Google Photos was made on March 15, 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/16/17128518/google-lens-available-ios-photos-apple|title=Google Lens is now available on iOS|last=Ong|first=Thuy|date=March 16, 2018|work=The Verge|access-date=March 16, 2018}} Beginning in May 2018, Google Lens was made available within Google Assistant on OnePlus devices{{Cite news|url=https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/oneplus-3-3t-5-5t-receive-google-lens-feature-on-google-assistant-1848229|title=OnePlus Phones Now Getting Google Lens Feature in Google Assistant|last=Patel|first=Nilen|date=March 28, 2020|work= Google Gadgets360.com|access-date=March 28, 2020}} as well as being integrated into camera apps of various Android phones.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-lens-gets-its-own-camera-app/|title=Google integrates into new camera app|last=Solsman|first=Joan|date=May 8, 2018|work=CNET|access-date=May 8, 2018|language=en}} A standalone Google Lens app was made available on Google Play in June 2018. Device support is limited, although it is not clear which devices are not supported or why. It requires Android Marshmallow (6.0) or newer.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/4/17426668/google-lens-app-play-store-android|title=Google Lens is now available as a standalone app|last=Liao|first=Shannon|date=June 4, 2018|work=The Verge|access-date=June 5, 2018}} On December 10, 2018, Google rolled out the Lens visual search feature to the Google app for iOS.{{Cite news|url=https://9to5google.com/2018/12/10/google-lens-ios-rolling-out/|title=Google Lens visual search now rolling out to Google app for iOS|last=Li|first=Abner|date=December 10, 2018|work=9to5Google|access-date=December 11, 2018}} In 2022, Google Lens gradually replaced the reverse image search functionality of Google Images, first by replacing it in Google Chrome and later by making it officially available as a web application.{{Cite web|url=https://www.androidpolice.com/google-chrome-drops-right-click-reverse-image-search-in-favor-of-lens/|title=Google Chrome drops right-click reverse image search in favor of Lens|date=March 21, 2022|website=Android Police}} A July 2023 update to Google's chatbot Bard integrated Google Lens, allowing users to contextualize their prompts by uploading images and adding image retrieval functionality.{{Cite web|url=https://9to5google.com/2022/08/10/google-lens-image-search/|title=Google Images on the web now uses Google Lens|last=Li|first=Abner|date=August 10, 2022|work=9to5Google|access-date=August 17, 2022}}