Sony has started rolling out a new update that brings the popular ‘Google Lens’ feature on its latest Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact flagships. The feature is becoming increasingly popular among flagship smartphones that come integrated with Google Assistant.
“Ever found yourself wandering around town unsure of the buildings or landmarks you’re seeing, or being unable to identify that cute dog you saw in the park? Google Lens understands your environment and allows you to do just that – you can now access its features directly within the camera app on Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact”, explained Sony in a blog post.
With Google Lens integration, Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact owners get real-time search within the handset’s camera app. Users can simply hover the camera over an item and see the option to view search results, allowing them to browse and interact with the world around them.
There’s also a feature called Style Match, which allows users to purchase shopping items such as clothing and furniture by simply pointing the camera at surrounding items to get desired search results. It also comes Smart text selection, allowing users to point their phone at a restaurant menu for contact details and copy and paste the text. It can even record information stored on your visiting card, and even connect to a Wi-Fi network by scanning a router’s credentials.
All in all, the whole idea behind Google Lens is to offer users relevant information using their surrounding environment.
Announced during I/O 2017, Google Lens initially rolled out on iOS back in March following its debut on Android. The feature is being distributed in stages, and we might see more or less every Android handset integrated with Google Lens in the near future.
Rolling out today, Android users can try Google Lens to do things like create a contact from a business card or get more info about a famous landmark. To start, make sure you have the latest version of the Google Photos app for Android: https://t.co/KCChxQG6Qm
Coming soon to iOS pic.twitter.com/FmX1ipvN62— Google Photos (@googlephotos) March 5, 2018
Now, even Sony Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 users can enjoy the benefits of Google Lens. In order to do so, owners of the aforementioned devices need to install the latest version of Google Photos on their smartphone. Open the Play Store, navigate into the Updates section, locate Google Photos, then tap Update.
However, it’s also worth pointing out that that the feature is being rolled out gradually, so it may take some time to arrive for all Xperia XZ and Xperia XZ2 compact smartphones across the globe.
