Last year, Moment revisited its Tele 60mm lens to redesign it with modern smartphones in mind. The outcome was a new Tele 58mm that delivers a sharper image and eliminates the vignetting that was so common with the wider lenses of most new smartphones. Moment is back at it again this year, but this time it's the Superfish lens going under the microscope. There's now a new Fisheye 14mm with similarly big improvements over the original, and we got to spend a little time to test out what the new glass can do.
Read MoreGoogle Camera gains document scanning and more, Photos picks up astrophotography filter
Google Camera 7.2 is proving to be an extremely substantial update to the software. We've previously covered the new UI, the addition of astrophotography, and social sharing options. As it turns out, this version of Camera also integrates Google Lens more deeply into the viewfinder, which allows you to scan documents, translate foreign languages, and copy text. Related to these capabilities, Google Photos has added a filter specifically for astrophotography images.
Read MoreGoogle Lens races to 50 million installs in just 16 months
Mere days after Google Fit crossed a major download milestone (and took its sweet time doing it), another more popular Google app has accomplished the same feat in less than half the time. Google Lens, the visual search engine that lets users summon information about the world around them by taking photos or screenshots, has officially joined the 50-million downloads club.
Read MoreGoogle Lens will likely come to Chrome for Android in a future update
In one form or another, Google Lens has been a useful companion to Android users for quite some time. Just as Google is trying to integrate Assistant with each and every service it offers, the company is also looking to expand the reach of Lens. On Tuesday, Chrome Story noticed evidence pointing to Lens integration in Chrome for Android that we can expect to see in a future version of the browser.
Read MorePopular
[Update: Going live] Google Lens revamp rolling out, comes with new Dining and Shopping modes
Earlier this month, Google announced new "filters" would make their way to Google Lens, such as the ability to point your phone at a restaurant menu and get recommendations on the most popular dishes. These new features are starting to roll out to some users, together with a design revamp.
Read MoreGoogle Lens gets a new, Googlier icon [APK Download]
If you were hoping that Google Lens's latest update would bring all the new features that were promised at I/O, you will need to hold your breath a little longer. It's true that a new version of the app began rolling out yesterday, but it brings nothing of substance beside a new icon. And we've been getting enough tips about it that we just had to write this up.
Read MoreGoogle Lens comes to the MIUI camera app on select phones
Google Lens was a big unveiling at I/O a while back, but the feature isn't particularly discoverable on phones. It's become a bit more prominent with camera integrates on phones from Motorola, Google, and others. Now, you can add Xiaomi to the list.
Read MoreSamsung said to acquire Israeli dual-camera expert Corephotonics
Picture quality is becoming a key differentiator for Android manufacturers, and many are racing to offer unique features that will make their devices stand out. Nokia is expected to launch a phone with five lenses, Google has developed an algorithm to improve low-light photography, and Samsung built a variable aperture technology into the Galaxy S9. To make its cameras even better, the Korean firm has allegedly bought Corephotonics, an Isreali company known for developing powerful lenses with optical zoom.
Read MoreGoogle Lens now has an album shortcut to search photos
Google Lens made its debut in the Google Photos app on select devices a while back, but now it's available everywhere. You can still search from the Photos app, but Google just added a new shortcut to make it easier to scan your photos. From Lens, just tap the album button at the top of the screen, and you're all set.
Read MoreUpdate Notes for the Google app, Gmail, Translate, Home, Play Books, and Fit (November 21, 2018)
Every week, I examine somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred app updates while looking for changes. The most interesting things turn into APK Teardowns or Download posts. Many of the remaining updates are unremarkable, amounting to a few bug fixes, routine updates to libraries, or even just pixel-level adjustments to layouts and images. However, there are usually a few updates that land somewhere in between. I don't want to spam readers with dozens of short posts, but I hate to ignore things that people might want to know about, so I'm going to wrap up the leftovers for a little weekend reading and call it Update Notes.
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