Google has announced that its previously Android-only Google Lens feature is now rolling out to iOS users who have the Google Photos app installed.

First unveiled last year at the Google I/O 2017 conference, Google Lens uses the company's image recognition and machine learning algorithms to identify the subjects of photos and videos and present additional helpful actions and information to the user.

google lens
For example, if you take a picture of a business card, Google Lens will offer to save the phone number or address to one of your contacts. Similarly, taking a photo of a book, landmark, building, painting, plant or animal can throw up an option to view more details about the picture's subject.

A few things to note: Currently Google Lens only works if your device's language is set to English, and you're running the latest version (3.15) of Google Photos. You can check what version you're running in the app's settings – tap the cog icon and select "About Google Photos" in the menu. Also note that your Google Lens activity is saved to your Google Account if you have Web & App Activity turned on.


If you still don't see the Google Lens icon when viewing individual photos or videos, it's likely the feature hasn't reached your region yet. Google says the update is being released in batches and all devices should receive it soon.

Google Photos is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Zadigre Avatar
95 months ago
OR I can avoid dealing the issue and not use Google.
or you can avoid using the Internet all-together... since your are basically "the product" everywhere you go.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
95 months ago
that's not what the TOS you quoted states, its not a boilerplate release to allow them to archive or make copies. Your quote states very plainly that you give google complete and full rights to your image to do anything and use your image without any further consent or notification.


[doublepost=1521207835][/doublepost]Its my images and I choose to not let google use, alter, copy, adapt, publish or display my images. Others do, and that's their choice but for me, I prefer protecting my rights and my images.
Respectfully, please re-read my comment. The archiving was an example, just as the displaying in different formats was an example. So was displaying on different devices. None were meant to be all encompassing.

More importantly, did you not read where I stated the language was not even from Google. It's from Apple. I even included the link. My point is you're not protecting anything. You're giving Apple the exact same permissions. If you use FB, you're giving those permissions to them. Pretty much any photo service you use has that exact same language.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5105973 Avatar
95 months ago
that's not what the TOS you quoted states, its not a boilerplate release to allow them to archive or make copies. Your quote states very plainly that you give google complete and full rights to your image to do anything and use your image without any further consent or notification.


[doublepost=1521207835][/doublepost]Its my images and I choose to not let google use, alter, copy, adapt, publish or display my images. Others do, and that's their choice but for me, I prefer protecting my rights and my images.
Whoa, I think @69Mustang just said he actually got that quote from Apple. :eek:

Edit to add that I just clicked the link provided and yes it’s right there where he said it is.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
95 months ago
I'm still not a fan of Google's services. You give them the right to use your images as they see fit, and that's something I'm not willing to accept.

Again, when the service is free, you are the product.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
95 months ago
You can always fix that issue by paying for GSuite ('https://gsuite.google.com/pricing.html?tab_activeEl=tabset-companies'). Then you're protected by their business license which is a lot more restricted than their personal license.

If you don't want to be the product, Google lets you pay.
OR I can avoid dealing the issue and not use Google.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
95 months ago
Respectfully, please re-read my comment. The archiving was an example, just as the displaying in different formats was an example. So was displaying on different devices. None were meant to be all encompassing.
Fair enough, I admit, I was mistaken, when you mentioned you referenced the google TOS but used Apple's.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 14, 2025 5:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
iPadOS 26 App Windowing

Apple Explains Why iPads Don't Just Run macOS

Friday June 13, 2025 7:46 am PDT by
iPadOS 26 allows iPads to function much more like Macs, with a new app windowing system, a swipe-down menu bar at the top of the screen, and more. However, Apple has stopped short of allowing iPads to run macOS, and it has now explained why. In an interview this week with Swiss tech journalist Rafael Zeier, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that iPadOS 26's new Mac-like ...
Logitech Logo Feature

Logitech Announces Two New Accessories for WWDC

Friday June 13, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Alongside WWDC this week, Logitech announced notable new accessories for the iPad and Apple Vision Pro. The Logitech Muse is a spatially-tracked stylus developed for use with the Apple Vision Pro. Introduced during the WWDC 2025 keynote address, Muse is intended to support the next generation of spatial computing workflows enabled by visionOS 26. The device incorporates six degrees of...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday June 12, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iOS 26 Feature

Apple Seeds Revised iOS 26 Developer Beta to Fix Battery Issue

Friday June 13, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple today provided developers with a revised version of the first iOS 26 beta for testing purposes. The update is only available for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, so if you're running iOS 26 on an iPhone 14 or earlier, you won't see the revised beta. Registered developers can download the new beta software through the Settings app on each device. The revised beta addresses an...
Mac Studio Feature

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished Mac Studio With M4 Max and M3 Ultra Chips at a Discount

Thursday June 12, 2025 10:14 am PDT by
Apple today added Mac Studio models with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips to its online certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and many European countries, for the first time since they were released in March. As usual for refurbished Macs, prices are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent new models on Apple's online store. Note that Apple's ...
m4 macbook air pink

Apple Now Selling Refurbished M4 MacBook Air Models

Friday June 13, 2025 3:34 pm PDT by
Apple today added M4 MacBook Air models to its refurbished store in the United States, making the latest MacBook Air devices available at a discounted price for the first time since they launched earlier this year. Both 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models are available, with Apple offering multiple capacities and configurations. The refurbished devices are discounted by approximately 15...