Lens comes to Google Assistant on Pixel Phones

Google has rolled out its visual search feature Google Lens in Assistant for the Pixel and Pixel 2 smartphones. As a reminder Google Lens was introduced at Google I/O 2017, and made its official debut with the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones through Google Photos app and a few weeks ago expanded to 2016's Pixel and Pixel XL.

  For the uninitiated Google Lens lets you point your Pixel camera at a subject to get information and show results based on that. You can scan a flower to get more information about it, or identify a landmark, restaurant, movies, book and see their ratings, reviews and other details. You can even copy text like phone numbers, date and addresses.

But now you don't need to fire up the Photos app to use this feature, as Lens is integrated with Google Assistant. The sheet that pops up when you summon Google Assistant (by holding the home button), now has a Lens Button on the bottom right corner. 

Pressing the Lens Button will open a camera viewfinder, and tapping anywhere freezes the view, and begins a search with possible results and actions appearing as a carousel of card that identify the object. You'll also get links to do web search, open other apps and more. In addition you'll also be able to share and rate the result with a thumbs up/down.

The feature is rolling out in phases so only a few users are able to see it on their Pixel/Pixel 2 devices now, however, a wider roll-out will take place in the coming days.

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