Google Lens is an AI-powered technology that uses your smartphone camera and deep machine learning to not only detect an object in front of the camera lens, but understand it and offer actions such as scanning, translation, shopping, and more.
Lens was one of Google’s biggest announcements in 2017, and a Google Pixel exclusive feature when that phone launched. Since then, Google Lens has come to the majority of Android devices - if you don’t have it, then the app isavailable to download on Google Play.
What is Google Lens?
Google Lens enables you to point your phone at something, such as a specific flower, and then ask Google what the object is that you’re pointing the camera at. You’ll not only be told the answer, but you’ll get suggestions based on the object, like nearby florists, in the case of a flower.
Other examples of what Google Lens can do include being able to take a picture of the SSID sticker on the back of a Wi-Fi router, after which your phone will automatically connect to the Wi-Fi network without you needing to do anything else. Yep, no more crawling under the cupboard in order to read out the password whilst typing it in your phone. Now, with Google Lens, you may literally point and shoot.
Google Lens will recognise restaurants, clubs, cafes, and bars, too, presenting you with a pop-up window showing reviews, address details and opening times. It’s the ability to recognise everyday objects that’s impressive. It will recognise a hand and suggest the thumbs up emoji, which is a bit of fun, but point it at a drink, and it will try and figure out what it is.
We tested this functionality with a glass of white wine. It didn’t suggest white wine to us, but it did suggest a whole range of other alcoholic drinks, letting you then tap through to see what they are, how to make them, and so on. That shows that, while Lens is fast and clever, it’s not always accurate.
We’ve also tested it with many garden plants and found it a really useful way of finding out what you have growing.
What can Google Lens do?
Aside from the scenarios described above, Google Lens offers the following features:
How does Google Lens work?
Google Lens app
Google has a standalone app on Android for Google Lens if you want to get straight into the features. you’re able to access Google Lens through a whole range of other methods, as detailed below.
The experience is similar whichever approach you take; tapping the Lens icon in Google search bar takes you through to the same view you get directly in the Lens app.
Google Photos
Within Google Photos, Google Lens can identify buildings or landmarks, for instance, presenting users with directions and opening hours for them. It will also be able to present information on a famous work of art. Maybe it will solve the debate of whether the Mona Lisa is smiling or not.
When browsing your pictures in Google Photos, you’ll see the Google Lens icon in the bottom of the window. Tapping on the icon will see the scanning dots appearing on you picture and then Google will serve up suggestions.
Camera app
In some Android phones Google Lens has been directly added to the device’s own camera app. It might be in the ‘More’ section, but will differ depending on manufacturer and user interface. Some apps will use Google Lens to scan things like QR codes directly through the camera.
On the iPhone
If you want to access Google Lens on the iPhone you may get it viathe Google app. This app covers a range of Google services which are native on Android devices. Once you’ve installed the app, you can head to the Google Lens section, grant permission for it to access your iPhone camera and off you go - you’ll get all the features above.
Which devices offer Google Lens?
If you’re an Android device user, you can access the app. However, there are some exceptions, such as the banned-from-Google-Services phones such as those from Huawei - so it’s worthchecking on Google Playto see if you can get it. It’s also available on iPhone or iPad as detailed above.
Google Lens is also baked into other Google apps, like Chrome. Although it might not be immediately obvious, if you’reusing Chrome and you right click on an image to find out where it came from, the sidebar that opens is also Google Lens branded - so there are ways to use it outside mobile devices too.
