Google previewed a video search feature for Google Lens earlier this year at the I/O 2024 developer conference. According to Android expert Mishaal Rahman, the feature has started rolling out to some Android users over the last few days.
For the unversed, the feature lets you ask questions about the objects around you after recording a short video clip. Explaining the feature during the announcement, Google said:
Search is so much more than just words in a text box. Often the questions you have are about the things you see around you, including objects in motion. Thanks to advancements in video understanding, we’re able to take visual search to a whole new level, with the ability to ask questions with video.
Maybe you bought a record player at a thrift shop, but it’s not working when you turn it on and the metal piece with the needle is drifting unexpectedly. Searching with video saves you the time and trouble of finding the right words to describe this issue, and you’ll get an AI Overview with steps and resources to troubleshoot
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You can open Google Lens on Android and long-press the shutter button to record a video and ask a question. Rahman notes that the video search feature will respond with an AI-generated answer if the AI Overviews feature is enabled in your region.
Google said at the time that the video search feature would first be available for English-language users in the US and then expand to more regions.
