(Credit: Google)
Google is rolling out a new search experience this week for iOS, which lets iPhone users look up information about a portion of their screen with AI.
Google Lens can already perform searches with photos. This new functionality adds the ability to search a visual on the screen—not from a new photo. It's helpful if you're reading about one topic, but something else pops up on the screen that you want a quick explanation of without having to start a disruptive new search.
"Whether you’re reading an article, shopping for a product, or watching a video, you can use this feature to quickly perform a visual search while browsing, without having to take a screenshot or open a new tab," says Google.
It's only available within Chrome and Google on iOS, and it's a part of the Lens functionality. To try it, tap the three-dot menu in Lens and select "Search this Screen." Then, you can highlight a portion of the screen by "using whatever gesture comes naturally," such as drawing a circle around it or tapping it.
It could be considered a limited version of Google's Circle to Search feature, which debuted in January 2024 and is available on select Android devices. That feature allows you to search what's on the screen within any app, not just the Chrome or Google apps. So iPhone users are getting a taste of the Android life, but only if they choose to ditch Safari and use the Chrome or Google app.
Thanks to Google's "advanced AI models," Lens can provide more information about more images, even obscure ones, than ever. It surfaces the information in the same format as the AI Overviews that have lived at the top of the typical Google search results page since last May. Like AI Overviews, it's only available for English-language users and in eligible countries.
"Perhaps you come across an interesting-looking car and want to learn more about the strange texture on its hood," Google says. "Just tap the camera icon in the Search bar to snap a photo with Lens. You’ll get an AI Overview to help you quickly make sense of what you’re looking at, along with links to helpful resources on the web."
The latest image search capabilities from Apple came with December's iOS 18.2 update. Now, iPhone 16 owners can press the Camera Control button, snap a picture of an object, and look up information about it with Apple Intelligence.
