Google starts rolling out Lens in Assistant for Pixel phones

Google has started rolling out its visual search feature Google Lens in Google Assistant for the Pixel and Pixel 2 phones. The rollout would be gradual, so not every Pixel phone owner may receive the update just yet.

"The first users have spotted the visual search feature up and running on their Pixel and Pixel 2 phones," 9to5Google reported. Google Lens can be found within the Photos app, and it’s able to identify information including addresses, phone numbers, and URLs from previously taken photos or screenshots. With Lens inside Assistant, however, users can call up the AI helper and tap the camera button, allowing it to start identifying info and performing searches as a photo is taken.

The Lens feature was first announced back at Google I/O 2017, and the company had previously said that it was always designed to work on both Pixel and Pixel 2 devices.

Google Lens can recognize things like addresses and books, among others. In Photos, the feature can be activated when viewing an image or screenshot. However, in Google Assistant, it is integrated right into the sheet that pops up after holding down on the home button.