Google’s Now on Tap functionality is something that only those on Marshmallow and above have the ability to use, as it was introduced officially last year alongside Android 6.0 Marshmallow and the Nexus 6P/Nexus 5X device combination. While Now on Tap has had some updates over the past year, there is still plenty that Google could do with it to improve the overall experience for users who have access to it on their devices. Earlier this morning, it appeared as though Google was beginning to roll out a new feature that would do just that, improve the user experience, in the form of a Text Selection functionality.
Google has now officially announced the new feature for Now on Tap, but the Text Selection is not alone as Google also announced that Image Search would be coming along for the ride as well as a second new functionality that Now on Tap users will be able to utilize. For those that may have missed the earlier details, with Now on Tap’s new feature, if you open it up when a lot of text is present on the screen, you’ll be able to tap and select just the words you want for a more precise delivery of results and information that is more correct than it could have been prior to the text selection being integrated.
In addition to the text selection feature, Image Search is now possible from Now on Tap as well. While you can already use Search itself to search by image, with Now on Tap, you can press and hold the home button to open it up when you’re viewing a picture that you may want more information and detail on. Google states that this will work in more than just the Google Photos app, so if you’re looking at pictures on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and more, you’ll be able to search images using Now on Tap relatively easily. As part of the image search feature, Google has also made it possible to search images that you’re about to take with your camera app in real-time as well. The new updated features are available to any country where Now on Tap is already available, but Google does note that word definitions are only available in English at the moment with more languages being available in the weeks ahead.