During its Google I/O 2024, Google unveiled a new feature called “Ask Photos”. Now, after a long wait, the feature is now being rolled out. The feature is still under “early access” and only a few Android and iOS users will be able to access it.
For those unaware, Ask Photos is a new search feature that Google has introduced in its Photos App. You can basically search within the gallery like you would do on a search bar. You can search for a specific video or photo and you will be able to locate it easily. For example, you can search, “What did we eat at the hotel in Agra?” Google will analyse the data and present that specific picture to you.
The interface of Ask Photos closely resembles that of a chat conversation. When you enable this feature, the last tab in Google Photos becomes “Ask”. It features a search bar for natural language queries. The Gemini logo will also be displayed, and it will show responses like “Thinking,” “Searching,” and “Reviewing” before delivering results. Plus, you can even use Ask Photos to get suggestions like curating an album or summarising a recent trip. You can even provide extra details to refine the search.
Google has even addressed privacy concerns regarding this feature. It said that Google Photos is never used for ads and is safeguarded by industry-leading security measures. The content of photos and videos is not reviewed by humans unless feedback is provided or in rare cases to address misuse.
Right now, as I mentioned earlier, the feature is only available for select users in the US. Google has not shared any details on when the feature will drop in India. Let’s wait to test the ‘Ask Photos’ feature out and see how practical and user-friendly it is.