Google and Samsung are on a mission to bring artificial intelligence (AI) to the fingertips of millions of Android users without the need for extensive operating system updates or new hardware. The tech giants are making headlines with the latest enhancement to Google Lens, their innovative visual search engine.

In an exciting announcement, Google revealed that Lens will now support video searches, opening up a world of possibilities for users. Imagine visiting an aquarium and wanting to know more about a particular fish—now you can simply record a video. With a simple command, like asking, "Why are they swimming together?" Lens will analyze both your video and question, producing an AI-driven overview and delivering relevant resources directly from the web.

Alongside this feature, Google has enhanced the Lens functionality by allowing voice-activated questions during photo searches. Users can directly aim their smartphone camera at any object and ask inquiries aloud—an upgrade from the previous text-only method.

In addition to these remarkable features, Google Lens has revamped its shopping tool, which identifies products based on user-uploaded images. This new iteration promises to present dramatically improved results, complete with comprehensive information on reviews and prices from several retailers. Google demonstrated this feature with a search for a backpack, bringing results from popular retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods and The North Face—aiming to eliminate the frustration of low-quality search results from lesser-known vendors.

These updates will be available to all Android and iOS devices equipped with Google Lens, impacting hundreds of millions of smartphones. Google reports that Lens facilitates a staggering 20 billion visual searches each month, emphasizing the significance of these enhancements. By integrating advanced AI technologies into widely used applications, Google is not only enhancing user experience but also gently ushering users into its broader ecosystem. This could lead to increased sales of Pixel devices or subscriptions to upcoming services like Gemini Advanced.

Additionally, the collaboration between Google and Samsung isn't just about Lens. With the recently launched Galaxy S24, both companies have invested heavily in promoting features like Circle to Circle, which may seem less impressive compared to other capabilities such as call translation and generative image creation. However, Google has expanded the functionalities of their AI search app significantly over recent months, introducing full-page text translations and song identification features, making it a versatile tool for everyday use.

As consumers increasingly embrace AI, it appears inevitable that these advancements will become standard on smartphones without requiring new devices. Expect to see more innovative features for Google Lens and beyond in the near future.

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