Google Lens to roll out multi-search feature on iOS and Android

April 7 (UPI) -- Google Lens is rolling out a multi-search feature to search for words and images combined in the Google app on iOS and Android.

On Thursday, the company launched a U.S.-only beta for the multi-search feature using artificial intelligence that it previewed last September at its Search On event.

In 2017, the company debuted Google Lens, which identifies objects, such as a flower, appearing in the camera lens in real time. The new feature will allow users to take a picture of a pattern and then say they want socks for example, to pull up socks with a similar pattern.

Belinda Zeng, Google's product manager, and Lou Wang, the company's search director, told The Verge that the the new feature was initially aimed at helping users with shopping, but it could also help in other situations.

For example, Zeng said combining the word "tutorial" with a picture of beautiful nails can help the user learn more about styling nails, and Wang said you can take a picture of something broken, and then type in "how to fix."