8 apps that identify everything with your phone’s camera

Phone cameras have many uses besides taking pictures and recording videos. It can make everything come to life with AR apps. And smartphone cameras also function as an image search engine and identify everything you see in the world. Here are the best object identification apps for Android and iPhone.

1. Google Lens: Identify Everything

Google has put their search engine in your camera. Google Lens can recognize tons of objects such as animals, plants, flowers, branded gadgets and many more things except humans.

In addition, for compatible objects, Google Lens will also open shopping links if you want to buy them. You just need to download the app or launch it from Google Assistant and point at the object to be identified. Google Lens will let you know if it has identified an object by displaying a small blue icon on top of the object.

iPhone users can find Google Lens in the main Google app’s search bar.

2. Pinterest: Design and Art

Similarly, Pinterest has a tool that searches for images you take with your camera, and it will find links and pages for the audience it identifies. Pinterest can identify as many objects in a photo as complex as an outfit.

Like Google, it will show you a shopping link so you can buy the product directly. Pinterest’s image search engine is primarily designed to identify apparel, design, and other similar categories. For the purpose of exploring nature, you should use Google Lens.

3. Snapchat: Amazon-powered image search

Snapchat comes with a handy image search tool. It is powered and integrated with Amazon’s product database.

Take a photo of the product you’re interested in for Snapchat to identify and present an Amazon card so you can access the shopping list. In addition, you can also scan barcodes instead of touching objects for faster search.

4. Amazon: For Shopping

If you’re not using Snapchat, you can switch to the official Amazon app. Search by product photo or barcode.

To search for products, select the option on the right edge of the search bar, there is a camera icon to take a photo. If a match is found, Amazon will make a list available. However, you cannot export the captured image to the camera roll on your phone.

5. Coinoscope: Coin Identification

If you are a coin collector, Coinoscope is definitely the app you are looking for. It can identify both ancient and modern coins.

Coinoscope works by analyzing the photos you take and displaying relevant results from its archive. In addition to identifying the name, Coinoscope also provides other information such as the year of the coin in circulation, origin, value and more.

6. PlantNet: Plant Identification

Another niche image search tool is PlantNet. From the name you can also know this application will identify all the plants. PlantNet can identify plants, flowers, grasses, cacti and many more.

After importing an image, PlantNet will display several similar listings. You can confirm and choose a species that seems closest to what you are looking for. In addition to providing the name of the plant, PlantNet also provides scientific information and facts about the plant you are viewing.

7. Vivino: Defining the Wine Brand

Next on this list is Vivino, an app that helps you buy better quality wine. All you need to do is take a photo of the brand of wine that interests you.

Vivino will then process and provide some information to help you decide whether to buy it or not. It provides popularity information, flavor description, ingredients, age and more. Plus, you see user reviews, lined up from Vivino’s community of 30 million people.

In some regions, Vivino even gives you deals and helps locate the store where you can buy the wine for the cheapest price. Today Vivino has introduced about 9.2 million wines.

8. DietCameraAI: Food recognition and calorie counter

DietCameraAI can process food images and automatically add the calories they give you. In addition, DietCameraAI has an AI personal assistant, providing feedback on your meals and what needs to be changed for a more nutritious diet.

Based on your history and goals, DietCameraAI also prepares charts and your food progress. Of course, you can use DietCameraAI simply as a calorie counter and skip all the extras.

Thanks to advances in image recognition technology, unknown objects in the world around you are no longer a mystery. With these apps, you have the ability to identify anything, whether it’s a tree or a coin.

At the heart of these platforms is a network of machine learning algorithms. They are becoming increasingly common on digital products, so it’s best to have a basic understanding of them.