Google Lens Currently Rolling Out to iOS via Google Photos App

Friday March 16, 2018 4:42 AM PDT by Tim Hardwick
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.


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]

Tags: Google, Google Photos
22 comments


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Zadigre
6 weeks 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.
Rating: 5 Votes
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69Mustang
6 weeks 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.
Rating: 4 Votes
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maflynn
6 weeks 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.
Rating: 3 Votes
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maflynn
6 weeks 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.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
GrumpyMom
6 weeks 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 [USER=870396]@69Mustang[/USER] 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.
Rating: 3 Votes
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andromedaan
6 weeks ago
Google Photos is a great service! Apple should take not of all its capable of.
Rating: 1 Votes
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maflynn
6 weeks ago

Which is all protected in a GSuite license. You are welcome to not use Google because they will redistribute your content on a free license, but you can't create the same argument when you're given an alternative.

I'm not talking about the GSuite License, and as I stated, I'm choosing not to use Google's free service.
Rating: 1 Votes
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69Mustang
6 weeks ago

What's the proper interpretation?

Companies need your permission to make copies of your content (example archiving), display it in different formats (example convert video format), display it on different devices. Also that language is boilerplate legalese. In fact, it's so boilerplate I didn't even need to pull it from Google. I pulled it from Apple's iCloud Terms and Conditions ('https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/icloud/en/terms.html'). Part V (5), section H, sub-section 1. Could have pulled it from Facebook... heck I could have pulled it from Yahoo.

Love 'em or hate 'em, doesn't really matter. But at least let the emotion be driven by an understanding of the issue.
Rating: 1 Votes
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maflynn
6 weeks 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.
Rating: 1 Votes
Avatar
maflynn
6 weeks ago

Companies need your permission to make copies of your content (example archiving)

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.

Google's Terms of Service? "...you grant a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, publicly perform and publicly display such Content on the Service solely for the purpose for which such Content was submitted or made available, without any compensation or obligation to you. "

[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.
Rating: 1 Votes
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