Google Lens is already available in Google Photos and Google Assistant. The object recognition technology is now baked into Google Images for mobile. In doing so, you can now identify an object in an image such as a chair or table and learn more about it, including buying options, when applicable.
Shopping
IG Shopping is a dedicated merchant app from Instagram
Instagram is currently developing a dedicated shopping app. Aptly named IG Shopping, the app allows users to browse collections of goods from merchants that they already follow and buy directly within the app, according to The Verge.
US Supreme Court just made it more expensive to buy online
In a 5-4 decision, the United States Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that states can require online retailers to collect taxes. The decision reverses 50 years of legal rulings that barred states from imposing sales taxes when their residents made a purchase from an out-of-state retailer.
Apple Pay promotion offers free delivery through Instacart
Now through January 10, you are able to secure free delivery through Instacart when you use Apple Pay. No promo code is necessary, all you need do is have a minimum order of $35.
Amazon updates iOS app with augmented reality shopping experience
Amazon today updated its mobile app for iPhone and iPad with a brand new augmented reality shopping experience, powered by Apple's new ARKit framework in iOS 11.
Amazon schedules its annual shopping event for Prime members for July 12
Online retailer Amazon has scheduled a second annual Prime Day event for July 12. The Prime Day 2016, a one-day shopping event exclusive to Prime members, will be the biggest global Amazon event ever with new deals starting as often as every five minutes throughout the day.
Target updates iPhone app with Apple Watch support for shopping from your wrist
Target may files as the first company to update its iOS app with official support for the Apple Watch, which goes on pre-order on April 10 before hitting store shelves two weeks later.
Now rolling out in the App Store, Target 7.3.1 for the iPhone will let you build a shopping list on your Apple Watch and includes a Glance to see when your store is open.
“When you're in the store, it tells you where to find all of the items you need,” as per release notes.
You can now grab coupons from Twitter timelines
Twitter isn't done announcing new products this year. Tuesday, the startup announced Twitter Offers, a new service that puts e-commerce right into your timeline.
Created in partnership with a handful of brands which will begin testing the new feature during the holidays in the United States, Twitter Offers makes grabbing a coupon as easy as clicking a button in a Promoted Tweet.
As a bonus, the coupon will be automatically associated with a credit card, if any, associated with Twitter for the recently unveiled 'Buy' button.
Google Shopping Express 2.0: deliveries in more cities, enhanced search, new products and more
Following a June update, the Internet giant today released a major new version of its Shopping Express application for the iPhone and iPad.
The official iOS client of Google’s same-day delivery service, version 2.0, now live in the App Store, brings same-day and overnight delivery to more cities while introducing several enhancements to the built-in search feature.
You can now use the app to buy wine, beer and spirits and have them delivered to your doorstep, if you live in San Francisco or the San Francisco Peninsula. And people who shop at Costco can now purchase their Costco membership and shop Costco in the same session...
New in iOS 8 Safari: use your device’s camera to scan in credit card info
As folks continue to comb through the recently released iOS 8 beta, a new feature has been discovered in mobile Safari. When the updated browser detects a credit card field within a webpage, it offers to let the user scan their card with their device's camera.
Scanning your credit card automatically enters its information in the appropriate text fields, saving you from having to enter it manually. It takes just a moment, and it doesn't appear that websites will have to do anything special to enable the new feature...
Philips taking on Apple’s iBeacon tech with smart lights
Philips has officially joined the onslaught of competitors looking to go head-to-head with Apple's iBeacon geolocation technology. At a retailer in northern Germany, the company is testing out a lighting unit which includes a built-in beacon that can relay information to smartphones.
It works a lot like many of the iBeacon solutions we've seen thus far. When shoppers enter a store, opening a companion app on their smartphone reveals a map and their location, and from there, they can search for various product, get directions to them, and receive other information...
Amazon app now lets you search for things by taking photos of them
Amazon has pushed an update to its iOS app, enabling a new feature called Flow. The feature allows users to search for items on the website by simply scanning them in the app using their iPhone's camera. Need a stapler? Just point your iPhone at one.
Flow recognizes via shape, size, color, box text, and general appearance, and can analyze multiple items at a time. Hold your iPhone up to a row of products and every recognizable item is placed in a queue that can then be added to your Amazon cart...