Google Now on Tap is a fairly under-utilised feature when it comes down to it. Google however is determined to see it succeed and has been adding more functionality since it was announced at Google I/O last year. Today, Google has added a host of new features that may entice you to use it a little more.
To start with you can now read QR and barcodes in Now on Tap. Google says all you have to do is ‘point your camera at the barcode’ and you’ll get helpful cards on the object you’re interested in. Google says it will work on ‘packaged products, books, DVDs and more!’
Perhaps the biggest feature in terms of usability is the option to translate text from any app. Google introduced this feature as an update to Google Translate back in May, but with Now On Tap it’s built-in without the need for Translate. It’s a little more limited, translating from English to French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese or Russian only at this stage – but more should hopefully come later.
Lastly Google is trying to help you discover more relevant, interesting things with their new discover mode. With the new ‘Discover’ icon you tap it and get a ‘stream of visual content related to what’s on your screen’.
Google’s Now on Tap is of course only available in Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and above, so it’s fairly limited as to who will see these new features. But, with Marshmallow availability growing slowly month-over-month, Google has time to grow functionality for the feature at their own pace. If they keep adding these great features though, Now on Tap may just get a lot more useful.
Well that means goodbye to Google goggles app.