Google Lens for iPhone now allows visual searches through drawings.
Chrome users and Google app users on iPhone now have the option to draw, highlight, or tap on text and images to perform a visual search of what they have in front of them.
Google has announced significant improvements to its Lens technology. Now, Chrome users and those using the Google app on iPhone will have the option to draw, highlight, or tap on text and images to perform visual searches based on what they are seeing. This feature is reminiscent of an interface introduced last year on Android called Circle to Search, although the implementation on iOS is different and more limited due to system restrictions. The goal is to make it easier to search for information about images without needing to open a new tab in Chrome or save screenshots.
To access this new option in Chrome or the Google app, users must open the three-dot menu and select "Search the screen with Google Lens." In the future, a shortcut to Lens is expected to be added to the Chrome address bar.
Additionally, those using Lens will notice they are more likely to encounter Google’s AI Overviews, especially when searching for information about unusual or uncommon images. In this case, the tool will automatically provide explanations about the images without the user needing to ask a question.
Before this announcement, Harsh Kharbanda, Google's product management director for Lens, shared a demonstration of the feature. She used Lens to scan a photo of a car with an unusual finish on its hood. Automatically, the AI Overview appeared, explaining that the car had a carbon vinyl wrap, which is used both for protection and to give the vehicle a sportier appearance. This update will be rolled out to all English-speaking users in countries where AI Overviews are available, starting with the Google app for Android and iOS, and soon in Chrome for desktop and mobile devices.
