

Google Lens Stories May 11
Google Search is a powerful tool that harnesses the power of everything Google knows and uses it to give you more information about the world around you. Today at Google I/O 2022, Google has announced an expansion of Lens called “scene exploration” that will let the product “explore” your surroundings, identifying products and even filtering them in real time, as well as more enhancements to multisearch.
Google Lens Stories April 19
Chrome is a great browser with tons of tools and functionality. One feature that many users aren’t familiar with is the desktop version of Google Lens that’s fully integrated into Google Chrome. Follow along to learn how you can use Google Lens on Chrome desktop to search for any image on the web.
Google Lens Stories April 14
Last week, Google introduced Lens multisearch to let you ask questions about pictures on Android and iOS. The version of Google Lens included with desktop Chrome has now been updated to do more than just search for images.
Google Lens Stories April 7
One of the most interesting announcements at Google’s Search-focused keynote in September was a big upgrade to Lens that lets you take a photo and ask questions about it. “Multisearch” in Google Lens is now available to beta test on Android and iOS.
Google Lens Stories March 8
Google Lens on Android updated to make browsing for images on your device easier
Last year, Google updated Lens on Android to prioritize screenshot analysis over the live viewfinder. Google Lens has now been tweaked to make browsing your phone for images easier.
Google Lens Stories January 31
Google Lens today is primarily a visual lookup tool for mobile devices, but it’s been branching out to Chrome. The next expansion could see Google Search on the desktop web add Lens.
Google Lens Stories January 24
QR codes have been around for years, but they were underused in the time when they required a separate app to be installed in order to use them. Now, just about every phone, including Google’s Pixel lineup, has a QR scanner built-in, but according to a recent report, Google’s phones have been misreading some codes.
Google Lens Stories December 29, 2021
For two products that should be very important to Google, Assistant and Lens had a quiet 2021 compared to even the year prior. Fortunately, the lack of movement seems to be due to upcoming advancements being not quite ready yet.
Google Lens Stories December 16, 2021
In time for last-minute holiday shopping, Chrome for Android is getting a particularly useful price drop tracker right in the tab grid.
Google Lens Stories November 24, 2021
Shoppable small business murals in LA, NY highlight Google Lens ‘Shopping’ capabilities
Google, in partnership with American Express, is marking Small Business Saturday this weekend with “shoppable murals” in four US cities that promote both local shops and Google Lens.
Google Lens Stories October 25, 2021
Last month, Google announced a big upgrade for Lens that’s coming next year, and that the visual search tool is coming directly to Chrome. Until then, the Google Lens UI on Android is seeing a tweak that lets you easily reanalyze images with a different filter.
Google Lens Stories September 29, 2021
In addition to the big MUM upgrade that lets you ask questions about a photo, Google Lens is getting more prominent on iOS and in desktop Chrome.
At I/O in May, Google announced Multitask Unified Model (MUM) as a big improvement to Search. MUM is now set to come to Google Lens “early next year.”
Google Lens Stories September 2, 2021
Google recently redesigned Lens to prioritize screenshot analysis over live capture. Google Lens is now seeing a Material You flourish and even more prominent placement on Android.
Google Lens Stories August 10, 2021
Over the weekend, the new Google Assistant on Pixel phone started losing its original translucent UI. The design that replaced it is now appearing on other (non-NGA) Android devices with minor tweaks – a shorter panel – and greater emphasis on Lens.
Google Lens Stories August 5, 2021
Google Chrome for desktop is set to gain a handy screenshot tool, complete with Google Lens integration, which should replace screenshot extensions.
Update: The Google Lens integration is now live in pre-release builds of Chrome.
Last week, Google started running ads on TikTok that promote several aspects of Google Lens, as well as Hum to Search. The clear goal of these five TikTok videos is to raise awareness about newer Google features that people might not have used before.
Google Lens Stories July 20, 2021
In a significant expansion, Google is bringing its Lens visual search tool to the desktop web via the Chrome browser.
Google Lens Stories July 12, 2021
Google is rolling out a redesign of the dedicated Lens app on Android that greatly de-emphasizes the live viewfinder. Rather, the focus is now on analyzing existing images and screenshots in your camera roll.
Google Lens Stories July 10, 2021
Lens will be an important part of Google’s augmented reality future, but it’s one of the harder products to get people to continually use. That’s not due to a lack of trying on the company’s part, but the latest effort takes the form of straightforward online ads for Google Lens.
Google Lens Stories July 2, 2021
Lens will only become more important going forward, but Google’s challenge in the meantime is raising awareness about its extensive set of capabilities. Some tweaks to Google Lens now aim to simplify how visual search works.
Google Lens Stories June 9, 2021
Google Lens Stories June 7, 2021
Google’s biggest consumer-facing augmented reality offerings today are Lens and Live View in Maps. At WWDC 2021, Apple announced it was planning to go after those two features with iOS 15 this fall.
Google Lens Stories April 29, 2021
For a few months now, Chrome for Android has had an easy shortcut to search for an image you find online using Google Lens. Now it seems Chrome for Android may be gaining more handy Google Lens shortcuts.
Update 4/29: This feature has begun to roll out in Chrome Beta for Android.
Google Lens Stories April 26, 2021
Google Lens has begun to appear in the Pixel Launcher’s search bar side-by-side with the Google Assistant, in a new test.
Google Lens Stories April 23, 2021
When taking screenshots in Android 11+, a preview appears in the bottom-left corner for quick sharing or editing. A translate suggestion from Google Lens now also appears here on applicable screen captures.
Google Lens Stories April 11, 2021
Besides being its own app, Google Lens is also available in Image Search, Photos, and integrated across Android. Google is now bringing Lens to the desktop web inside Google Photos for convenient text copying through optical character recognition (OCR).
Google Lens Stories April 1, 2021
Even after trawling through almost all aspects of the recent Android 12 Developer Preview, things slip the net. One of those looks to be the long-overdue addition of a Google Lens translate option within the Android recent apps panel.
Google Lens Stories March 21, 2021
Google Lens has long been part of Google Photos to help you visually search images. On Android, Google Lens is now a more prominent part of Photos by identifying what pictures would benefit from the analysis and search tool.
Google Lens Stories March 18, 2021
Since it was announced in 2017, Google’s visual search tool has seen two (live) logos. Google Lens is now getting a third logo that better reflects how it’s a camera for looking up things in the real world.
Google Lens Stories March 17, 2021
From Maps Live View to 3D Animals and other models in Search, Google’s current work in augmented reality is focused on phones. The other big investment is Google Lens, with it emerging today that the product is losing lead Aparna Chennapragada to Robinhood.
Google Lens Stories March 16, 2021
The Google Lens app today is geared towards analyzing live images in real-time, but a new gallery view makes it easier to sift through screenshots and other pictures already in your camera roll.
Google Lens Stories January 25, 2021
Since last year, Google has been working on letting you perform translations in its visual search tool without an internet connection. Google Lens is now rolling out offline translate on Android.
Google Lens Stories January 22, 2021
Lens closed out last year with a Pixel Camera-inspired redesign and more shortcuts in other apps to launch the visual search tool. Google is now testing a new Lens icon that better communicates its functionality.
Google Lens Stories January 20, 2021
Google Lens passes 500 million installs on the Play Store
Another core Google app has now reached the 500-million install milestone on the Google Play Store – this time, it’s the turn of Lens.
Google Lens Stories October 15, 2020
Whether looking through your camera or browsing images on the web, Google Lens is a great way to learn more about what’s visible in a photo. Today, the Google app and Chrome for Android are gaining an easy way to search almost any image through Google Lens.
Google Lens Stories October 7, 2020
Google Lens has long been tied to Assistant on Android, while iOS users have access to it as part of Search. The Google app on Android is now testing a prominent Lens shortcut.
Google Lens Stories September 11, 2020
Back in June, we enabled a Google Camera-inspired redesign of Google Lens. It’s now rolling out to some Google app beta users on Android.
Google Lens Stories August 11, 2020
For the past several weeks, we’ve been tracking a math solver for Google’s visual search tool. Today, the Google Lens “Homework” filter was officially detailed and it covers more than just equations.
Google Lens Stories August 3, 2020
Google Lens adds ‘Places’ filter as Podcasts player tests queue swiping
Updated via the Google app, Lens and Podcasts recently picked up some new features. The visual search tool gains a “Places” filter, while Podcasts makes switching to the next episode somewhat faster.
Google Lens Stories July 24, 2020
Earlier this month, we spotted Google’s keyboard for Android working on automatic dark/light themes. Those using the Gboard 9.6 beta are now encountering another feature that we previously enabled: Google Lens integration.
Google Lens Stories July 20, 2020
On Android and iOS, you can point Google Lens at a street sign or document to have it translated and read aloud. Google is now bringing Lens to smart feature phones running KaiOS in India.
Google Lens Stories June 30, 2020
While there was no I/O this year, Google still launched a number of new features for its visual search tool in May. Google is now working on a Lens redesign for Android that adds several new capabilities.
Google Lens Stories May 18, 2020
Google tests Lens shortcut in Images search bar on Android
On Android, Google’s visual search tool can primarily be accessed from the homescreen or through Assistant. Google Lens is now testing a shortcut in Image Search.
Google Lens Stories May 7, 2020
Last May, Google announced and rolled out a major redesign of its visual search tool. Google Lens is now adding three productivity-focused features, including Search results from the web and a “Copy to computer” shortcut.
Google Lens Stories May 1, 2020
OnePlus Gallery v3.11.2 adds a handy Google Lens shortcut
The latest version 3.11.2 update for the OnePlus Gallery has now added a handy shortcut for Google Lens.
Google Lens Stories April 28, 2020
The last major redesign of Google Lens introduced Dining and Translate filters, while Text (OCR), Shopping, and Auto became explicit modes. The visual search tool could soon pick up the ability to solve math problems.
Google Lens Stories April 12, 2020
Google Lens was announced at I/O 2017 as a way to visually search the world and receive help. As the tool integrated into Assistant, Photos, and Search approaches its third birthday, Google looks to be testing a new Lens logo.