Google Lens
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Developer(s) | |
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Initial release | October 4, 2017 |
Operating system | Android, iOS |
Available in | Lens can translate text into MOST Google Translate languages. 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 United States.[1] |
Website | lens |
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.[2] First announced during Google I/O 2017,[3] it was first provided as a standalone app, later being integrated into Android's standard camera app.
Features
When directing the phone's camera at an object, Google Lens will attempt to identify the object by reading barcodes, QR codes, labels and text, and show relevant search results, web pages, and information.[4] For example, when pointing the device's camera at a Wi-Fi label containing the network name and password, it will automatically connect to the scanned Wi-Fi network. Lens is also integrated with the Google Photos and Google Assistant apps.[5] The service is similar to Google Goggles, a previous app that functioned similarly but with less capability.[6][7] Lens uses more advanced deep learning routines in order to empower detection capabilities, similar to other apps like Bixby Vision (for Samsung devices released after 2016) and Image Analysis Toolset (available on Google Play); During Google I/O 2019, Google announced four new features. The software will be able to recognize and recommend items on a menu. It will have the ability to also calculate tips and split bills, show how to prepare dishes from a recipe and can use text-to-speech.[8]
Availability
Google officially launched Google Lens on October 4, 2017 with app previews pre-installed into the Google Pixel 2.[9] In November 2017, the feature began rolling out into the Google Assistant for Pixel and Pixel 2 phones.[10] A preview of Lens has also been implemented into the Google Photos app for Pixel phones.[11] On March 5, 2018, Google officially released Google Lens to Google Photos on non-Pixel phones.[12] Support for Lens in the iOS version of Google Photos was made on March 15, 2018.[13] Beginning in May 2018, Google Lens was made available within Google Assistant on OnePlus devices,[14] as well as being integrated into camera apps of various Android phones.[15] 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.[16] On December 10, 2018, Google rolled out the Lens visual search feature to the Google app for iOS.[17] In early 2022, Google Lens replaced Google Image Search in Google Chrome.[18]
References
- ^ "Google Lens". Google Lens Homepage. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
- ^ "Google Lens app gets two new features". The Times of India.
- ^ Nieva, Richard (May 18, 2017). "Forget rainbow vomit, Google Lens is AR you can actually use". CNET. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- ^ Villas-Boas, Antonio (May 16, 2017). "Google Lens can use your phone's CAMERA to do operations based on virtual analysis, like connecting your phone to a WiFi network". Business Insider. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- ^ Townsend, Tess (May 19, 2017). "Google Lens is Google's future". Recode. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- ^ Conditt, Jessica (May 17, 2017). "Google Lens is a powerful, AI-driven visual search app". Engadget. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- ^ Dobie, Alex (October 6, 2017). "Google Lens: Everything you need to know". Android Central. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- ^ Villas-Boas, Antonio. "Google just showed off 4 major updates to its futuristic Lens technology that anyone who goes out to restaurants will love". Business Insider. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
- ^ Grigonis, Hillary (October 4, 2017). "Pixel 2 Owners Get the First Glimpse of Google Lens Computer Vision Possibilities". Digital Trends. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ Li, Abner (November 27, 2017). "Google Lens now more widely rolling out in Assistant on Pixel, Pixel 2 [Gallery]". 9to5Google. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- ^ Ong, Thuy (October 24, 2017). "Google Lens starts rolling out to 2016 Pixel phones". The Verge. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
- ^ "Google Lens is coming to all Android phones running Google Photos". The Verge. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ^ Ong, Thuy (March 16, 2018). "Google Lens is now available on iOS". The Verge. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
- ^ Patel, Nilen (March 28, 2020). "OnePlus Phones Now Getting Google Lens Feature in Google Assistant". Google Gadgets360.com. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ Solsman, Joan (May 8, 2018). "Google integrates into new camera app". CNET. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ Liao, Shannon (June 4, 2018). "Google Lens is now available as a standalone app". The Verge. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
- ^ Li, Abner (December 10, 2018). "Google Lens visual search now rolling out to Google app for iOS". 9to5Google. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ "Google Chrome drops right-click reverse image search in favor of Lens". Android Police. March 21, 2022.