Apple Visual Intelligence is already behind the curve as Google adds video search to Lens

Is searching with video overrated?

News By John-Anthony Disotto published 4 October 2024

Google just announced loads of AI search updates including video search capabilities in Google Lens adding a whole new way for people to search the internet.

The new Video Search feature comes at a time when every major tech company is looking to one-up its competitors in the race to have truly useful AI functionality that sticks with consumers - could searching the web via video be it?

Rolling out to all Google app users on iOS and Android, Video Search flexes Google’s AI muscles just in time for the launch of Apple’s Lens competitor the Apple Intelligence feature, Visual Intelligence. Apple’s offering is yet to receive a release date but it’s at the core of the company’s marketing for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, taking advantage of Camera Control.

Visual Intelligence lets you snap an image of something and quickly get information on whatever you’re looking at. Whether you’re snapping a photo of a closed restaurant to check opening times (apparently places don’t show opening hours in their windows anymore) or aiming your iPhone’s camera at a friend’s dog to check the breed (we don’t ask questions anymore either), Visual Intelligence is essentially Apple’s competitor to Google Lens - but new video and voice features in Lens leave it behind before the feature even launches.

Search what you record

So how does Video Search work? And would you even want to use it? You’re now able to snap videos on Google Lens and quickly ask questions related to what you’re seeing. The example Google gave was a person recording a school of fish in an aquarium and asking Lens to analyze the species based on search results. It’s pretty cool stuff, but how much more useful is video recording than snapping a quick photo?

At the time of writing, I’ve not been able to test Google’s new Video Search functionality, which is available globally for users enrolled in Search Labs ‘AI Overview and more’ experiment. I’ve also not had the opportunity to test Visual Intelligence, and as far as I’m aware no one outside the walls of Apple has had the pleasure either. With new video search functionality and even voice search functionality coming to Lens, I can’t help but feel like Visual Intelligence is already lagging behind in the same way Siri was compared to other voice assistants when it launched back in 2011.

There are a lot of questions here and we won’t get answers for at least a few months. But I have to ask, do people even care about Video Search anyway? Or will Visual Intelligence’s dedicated launch button on the side of all iPhone 16s be enough to make people start searching without typing?

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors