Google Lens Archives

AppWizard

May 27, 2025

First look at Google’s new ‘Images’ tab: A Pinterest clone in the making (APK teardown)

Google is developing a new feature for its app that will include an "Images" tab, similar to Pinterest. This feature will allow users to select topics of interest, such as "Women’s fashion," "Food & Drink," and "Home Decor," to receive a personalized feed of curated images. Users can interact with images by sharing, saving, or using Google Lens for further exploration, and they can hide images that do not match their preferences. The feature is still in development, and early tests show a mix of images across various topics rather than strictly adhering to user-selected interests.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

I’ve only spent a few hours with Android 16’s overhauled design, and I already love it

The Android 16 QPR1 Beta was available for download immediately after the Google I/O 2025 Keynote. The beta features a visually appealing font change and a revamped Wallpaper & Style settings interface. Users encountered bugs, including missing Home Screen layout options and issues with selecting wallpapers from Google Photos. Desktop Mode is not yet available, as connecting to an external monitor only allows screen mirroring. The app switcher now displays app labels with a context menu for split-screen mode and other functionalities. Gemini introduced new sharing options, and Quick Tiles in the Notification Shade can now be resized. The overall design emphasizes personalization, aligning with the Material 3 Expressive theme.

AppWizard

May 5, 2025

Google’s AI Mode tipped to gain a ‘Live’ feature similar to Gemini

Google is developing a new feature called "Live for AI Mode," which is expected to enhance user interaction with AI, potentially utilizing Google Lens for a more conversational interface. Recent updates have expanded AI Mode access to all Labs testers in the U.S., introducing visual cards for products and locations. The new feature may include an "End Session" button and a microphone mute option, similar to the existing Gemini Live feature. Since its rollout in April, Google has integrated Lens into AI Mode, allowing users to capture images and ask questions about them. The update aims to provide a more dynamic experience, including a "multisearch" capability that combines images and text. As of May 1, AI Mode has been updated to include a history of previous queries and will soon allow users to access organized information blocks for local establishments, including reviews and operational hours.

AppWizard

March 12, 2025

Here’s an early video preview of the upcoming Google app Search AI Mode in action (APK teardown)

Google is introducing a new AI Mode as part of the Gemini project, which aims to enhance user interaction across its applications. An early preview of this feature has been released, showcasing its integration into the Google app. The current beta version (16.9.39.sa.arm64) reveals that Voice Search and Lens options have been repositioned to accommodate the AI Mode. The interface now includes a floating Search bar that allows users to access the AI Mode easily, which generates detailed responses to queries with links to source material. The AI Mode supports various input methods, including text and voice queries, and integrates with Google Lens, which has received a visual update. The feature is not yet publicly accessible, but anticipation for its launch is growing.

AppWizard

February 20, 2025

The least used app on my Android phone is… the Google app?!

The Google app, launched over 15 years ago, enhances mobile search capabilities on Android devices and serves multiple essential functions, including powering the search widget, the Discover feed, Circle to Search, Google Lens, the Saved tab, and ad personalization options. A poll indicates that 34% of users utilize the app daily, 9% use it often, 16% rarely, and 41% never use it. Despite its perceived redundancy, the app is an uninstallable system app, crucial for maintaining various Android features and functionalities.

AppWizard

February 4, 2025

Google Search widget now lets you set a custom shortcut on Android

The Google app has introduced a feature for Android users that allows customization of shortcuts within the Search widget. Users can access this by going to the Google app settings and selecting "Customize Search widget," where they can adjust the theme and transparency settings. The new “Shortcuts” feature offers nine options: None, Translate (text), Song Search, Weather, Translate (camera), Sports, Dictionary, Homework, and Finance. The shortcut icon appears to the left of the microphone and camera icons in a 3×1 layout, and in a compact 2×1 view, it shows only the ‘G’ icon. This update is available for non-Pixel devices as well as Google phones and tablets, and it is part of version 16.3.34 of the Google app, which was rolled out in the stable channel.

AppWizard

November 19, 2024

Circle to Search is getting an app drawer, and here’s what it looks like

Google has unveiled a redesigned version of the Circle to Search feature in its app, with the latest beta version being 15.45.43.ve.arm64. The new interface features rounded boxes for UI elements and introduces an app drawer that replaces the standalone translate button, requiring users to tap an additional button for access to Google Lens and translation services. The app drawer aims to accommodate the growing functionalities of Circle to Search while maintaining screen space. The music search button remains next to the search bar, indicating user preference considerations. There are also indications that Circle to Search may be utilized within video content in the future.

AppWizard

October 3, 2024

Google for India: Android battles scammers, Gemini languages and loans on Pay

Google unveiled advancements at the Google for India keynote, focusing on user experience and security. The Gemini Live AI assistant now understands nine Indian languages. Google Pay is expanding to include lending and credit options, while Android is piloting enhanced fraud protection to safeguard users from scams. Android holds a global market share of 71.65%, reaching 95.73% in India. The new fraud protection feature pauses the installation of unverifiable apps for user scanning. This builds on last year's real-time scanning for installed apps and aims to combat risks from side-loading apps. Google is enhancing services across Gemini, Search, and Maps with AI, including support for nine Indian languages and generative AI results. Google Pay is partnering with NBFCs to introduce credit and lending options, particularly gold-backed loans. Google.org is promoting education and AI literacy in India with grants and developing an AI-powered coaching app. Google plans to establish a Google Safety Engineering Center in India next year to focus on security and online safety products.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

Google Search app on Android keeps crashing in widespread bug

On Saturday evening, many Android users experienced crashes with the Google app, receiving the message “Google keeps stopping” when trying to search. The app would briefly load before redirecting users back to the home screen. Reports of the issue began surfacing, and by approximately 11:00 PM PT, some users noted that the app had resumed functionality. Google acknowledged the disruption at 23:07 PT, stating it was affecting a large number of users and that they were working to identify the root cause. The crashes affected various Android versions, including the latest stable and beta releases, and impacted devices like Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy. Other services such as Google Assistant and Google Lens remained operational, and users could access Google through Chrome as a workaround. The disruption appeared to be limited to the Google app on Android, with no issues reported on other platforms.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

Google Fixes Widespread Android App Crashes After Midnight Glitch – WE News English

Google resolved a technical glitch that caused widespread disruptions of its Android app over the weekend, which began shortly before midnight Pacific Time and was fully fixed by 1:11 AM PT on Sunday. Users faced a "Google keeps stopping" error, affecting both stable and beta versions of the app across various Android operating systems, including Android 15 and 14. The Google app crashed upon launch, and features like Google Discover and Voice Search were inoperative. However, other services like Chrome for Android, Google Assistant, and Google Lens remained functional. Google advised users to clear app cache and data as a temporary fix and confirmed that no further updates were necessary after the issue was resolved.