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Google Lens has lately been looking to be much more than just a real-time image search tool. The latest major update of the app brought in a number of new features including Dining and Translating filters. This was alongside Text (OCR), Shopping and Auto that became clear-cut modes.
According to a recent report now, the app is looking to pick up the ability to solve math problems. 9To5Google wrote to have found the latest APK file of the app that Google uploaded to the Play Store. The APK files were then decompiled revealing various lines of code within that went ahead to hint at possible future features.
Among those were two “lens_math_equation” strings:
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<string name=”lens_math_equation_step_section_title”>STEPS TO SOLVE</string>
<string name=”lens_math_equation_solution_section_title”>SOLUTION</string>
Keep in mind that it was not entirely clear whether Google would ship in these features onto the update. Luckily though, they were spotted again on the latest Google app beta (11.7), giving more assurance of the math solving feature being in the full version.
At the moment, pointing Google Lens at a math problem will surface “similar images” and let you copy text that appears. The tool currently does not understand solvable equations. This is despite the Dining mode that has a built-in tip calculator. The two new lines of code though suggest the update will come with a kind of math mode that will offer the “solution” and “steps to solve”. The latter capability is expected to be a more education-oriented feature to help students.
This report comes after Google got to acquire and relaunch an Android and iOS app called Socratic. The AI studying tool is designed for students to take pictures of math problems and find step-by-step solutions on the web.
Socratic by Google. Image courtesy Giphy
So, it is easy to see why Google would easily integrate a similar capability into Lens and make it an appealing tool for a new audience.
No official word, however, has been released by Google on the plans it has with the future update of Google lens and what new features will exactly be brought in.
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