Thanks to a recent update, Google Lens now allows you to add voice recordings to image searches, giving inquiries vital context. This feature appears to have been discovered by Android Police after they encountered a new glow animation on the app. According to the report, the glowing was over the magnifying glass icon, and tapping it caused a “Search with Voice” tooltip to pop up on the screen, informing them of the change.
Holding down on the shutter button expands it, and a message appears telling you to “Speak now to ask about this image.” You then proceed to issue a command or ask a question, and what you say appears on the screen as a floating text transcription. Google Lens will begin its search soon after you let go of the button, taking the recording into account.
Android expert Mishaal Rahman posted a demonstration of the feature in action. He asked Google Lens to count how many blueberries there were on his plate. Rahman states inquiries are displayed on Google Search, where “Gemini will attempt to provide an answer” inside an AI Overview.
You can now use your voice to add context to searches in Google Lens!Press and hold on the shutter button in Lens, and it'll say "speak now to ask about this image." After speaking your question, let go of the button and Google Gemini will attempt to provide an answer. pic.twitter.com/uHkgjNQOogAugust 5, 2024
Performance
The key word in that last sentence is “attempt” because Google Lens doesn’t always get things right. We received the update on our Android phone and immediately began testing it out, and our results were pretty mixed.
In one test, we asked the app where we could buy a particular brand of sparkling water. Google Lens, with a bit of help from Gemini, showed us nearby stores selling that same brand. Next, we asked it to identify the food we were eating, and the software correctly identified it as pico de gallo. However, when told to count the buttons on a PS5 controller, Google Lens either failed or gave a wrong answer.
The tool works pretty well for the most part, although it can fumble a response occasionally. Still, the update functions pretty well for something that saw a quick turnaround. Hints of it were first “spotted in development” about a month ago by industry deep diver AssembleDebug on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter).
And now it's a full-on feature in almost no time at all. Android Police states the update is a server-side push, so it should already be available on all Android smartphones. If you don’t see it, ensure you have the latest patches for the Google Search and Lens apps installed on your mobile device.
While we have you check out TechRadar's roundup of the best Android phones for 2024.
