The Last Ten Days in Search: Part 2 - Google Image Swirl and Google Goggles

• December 16, 2009
• by Dave Freeman

At a time when Christmas festivities dictate that beer goggles and images swirling in front of our eyes become commonplace, Google have announced two very aptly named releases at their search event; Google Image Swirl and Google Goggles. In part 2 of this 3 part series I am going to look at these features which have the ability to revolutionise the way we search for images and from mobile phones.

If you missed them, part one discussed Real-time search and personalisation and part three on Friday will look at the seven new Google Analytics features.

Google Image Swirl

Google Image Swirl, a new feature in Google Labs, has been low key on its launch as other launches have overshadowed its entry into Labs. However, it is nonetheless important as it provides a much refined image search.

Cast your mind back to Google’s Wonder Wheel for text search, Google Image Swirl is essentially the same thing but for images. In fact it I think it is even more impactful and useful when used in image search due to the visualisation element.

Image Swirl is an interactive way of allowing users to refine an image search using related images – the initial search shows a page of images, click on the closest match to your requirements and Google will show you a nice swirl/wheel of similar images. You can then, if you so please, refine it again.

Google Goggles

Google Goggles is currently only available for mobile phones running Android version 1.6 and above. Whilst this limits the reach of Google Goggles, it doesn’t stop it from being a massive innovation in mobile search.

Goggles will in some areas change the way we search on a mobile device. You no longer need to type in a search query, you can just take a photo and Google will return results based on the photo you have taken. The examples given include:

• Landmarks
• Books
• Contact info (Android will firstly give you the option to save the contact details in your phone and then to carry out a search based on the contact information)
• Artwork
• Places
• Wine
• Logo’s

As with Google’s Image Swirl this feature is still in Labs and Google say some things work well and others not so well. I haven’t tested it yet as it is not available on the iPhone. However, this is the direction that mobile search needs to go, so I’m excited to see how Google Goggles develops and pushes the boundaries of mobile search forward.

What Impact will Image Swirl and Goggles have?

With both these products in Labs, and with Goggles only available on Android versions 1.6 and above, their impact on search is not and will not have a huge impact in the short-term. However, don’t let that cloud the fact that Image Swirl and Goggles could have the potential to significantly change the way people search in the future.

Google Image Swirl is only a small change to the way we search for images. Currently similar images are found via clicking a text link named ‘similar images’. Google Image Swirl just allows us to refine image searches by clicking on an image in much more attractive and usable UI. It is a nice feature that will stick around for a long time and increase in uptake over time.

The futuristic nature of Google Goggles, in my opinion, makes it the future of mobile search, or search on the go. It won’t change how we search whilst sitting on say a train, but when in an unknown area users will be able take a picture and draw relevant results about that area and nearby attractions or import the contact details off a business card into your phonebook.

The only things that could reduce the long-term impact of Goggles are mobile roaming charges and whether or not it gets released on non Android phones. However, as Google have recently been making major moves with their Android handsets, perhaps this is part of a larger strategy to increase uptake of the Android handsets and dent iPhone usage.

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