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Apple ’s relationship with Google as its search collaborator is exact a new turn with Apple ’s introduction of visual search , or “ optic Intelligence,”as the iPhone maker nickname it Mondayduring the company ’s “ It ’s Glowtime ” event . Already , Alphabet pay Appleroughly$20 billion per yearto make Google the default lookup locomotive in its Safari web browser app . Now , iPhone 16 substance abuser will be able to get at Google ’s hunt locomotive engine — and its visual hunt capability — with a click of the gadget’snew Camera Control button .
OpenAI ’s ChatGPT , which isbecoming accessible via Siri , was also show as a third - party partner in a demo where you could direct your phone ’s camera at your family note and get help understand the conception or job with a click of a button .
With the Camera Control , Apple explained how user can quickly take a photo or record book video , and how they ’ll be capable to slide their finger across the push to frame their guess and adjust option like zoom , photograph , or deepness of champaign in a new television camera preview experience . However , the button also provides iPhone 16 user with access to Apple ’s raw “ visual intelligence information ” search feature , which is where the Google partnership comes in .
When first introduced , the iPhone 16 ’s tv camera Controlseemed like Apple lingo for “ shutter push button , ” but as the event continued , Apple explained there ’s more you may do with this newfangled hardware feature . With Visual Intelligence , there ’s more to it than just an easy way to learn about the things in the tv camera ’s opinion ; you now also have another way to access third - party service without stimulate to launch standalone apps .
fundamentally a visual hunt feature , interchangeable toGoogle LensorPinterest Lens , Apple described Visual Intelligence as a way to instantly learn about everything you see . Across a few examples , Apple demonstrated how you could click the Camera Control clit to pull up information about a eatery you discover while out and about in townspeople , or how you could utilise the characteristic to identify the breed of a dog you fancy on your manner of walking . The feature could also transform an outcome poster tacked on a bulwark into a calendar entryway with all the details include .
Apple ’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi then casually mention that the feature film could be used to get at Google search , too .
“ The Camera Control is also your gateway to third - company tools , making it exceedingly fast and comfortable to tap into their specific domain expertise . So , if you come across a bike that looks incisively like the kind you ’re in the market for , just bug to search Google for where you may buy something similar , ” he said .
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The demo showed a mortal tapping the Camera Control button while aiming their iPhone at a bike , then reviewing an array of alike options available for leverage in a pop - up window overlaid on top of the photographic camera ’s horizon . The grid of images and verbal description of the matching bikes was then followed by a smaller onscreen button that read “ More result from Google , ” betoken you could remain your Google search with another tap .
What Apple did n’t excuse is how or when a push of the Camera Control button would have sex to turn to a third - political party partner for an answer rather than a built - in Apple service — like Apple Maps , which was express in the demo about the restaurant . Nor did the company fully excuse how drug user would be able-bodied to see to it or configure this lineament . Instead , Federighi said , somewhat mistily , “ Of course , you ’re always in control of when third - party tools are used . ”
Reached for gossip , a Google spokesperson said the company did n’t have anything to share on its partnership at this phase . Apple did n’t respond to a request for scuttlebutt . However , we understand the flock is a part of the two companies ’ exist relationship and does not postulate Google ’s Gemini AI .
What ’s interesting about this feature is that it presents a new paradigm for interacting with software and services beyond those that Apple ships with the iPhone . And it go far at a time when the concept of an App Store has begin to feel dated .
With AI applied science , users can ask questions , do productivity tasks , be creative with images and television , and more . Those are things consumers used to turn to apps to do , but can now do from a new user interface of talking and texting with an AI assistant .
alternatively of bucket along to build its own challenger to ChatGPT , Apple is presenting itself as the chopine to strive third - party services , include AI applied science , search services , and likely other provider in the future . What ’s more , it can make these connections by way of behind - the - scenes deals with partner — like its partnership with OpenAI on select AI feature — or else of tapping into transactions taking billet inside the apps as a means of generating gross .
It also cleverly keeps Apple ’s report from taking a hit when a third party , like ChatGPT , let things wrong ( as artificial intelligence tend to do ) or when a Google Search does n’t yield helpful outcome .
cut , 1:15 p.m. ET ; reversed Apple and Alphabet in the intro section about payments . This was corrected .
