Exploring Apple's Latest Update: Unveiling 'Visual Search' Technology

Jan 28, 2024 Apple Camera

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A new feature on the iPhone, part of Apple’s latest updates, brings an interesting functionality known as “Visual Search.” This feature, initially understood to help users interpret warning and notification lights on a car’s dashboard, has shown a more versatile use.

Recently, it was discovered that Visual Search can be particularly helpful with laundry labels. These labels, often found on various clothing items like jackets, sweaters, dresses, and pants, provide specific care instructions through a series of cryptic sketches. These symbols, usually small and difficult to decipher, can now be easily interpreted using Visual Search.

To use this feature, one should take a photo of the laundry label, ensuring the entire label is captured. Then, by opening the photo in the photo app and tapping the “i” or “information” icon at the bottom, users can access additional details. This process reveals an option labeled “Laundry Care,” where Visual Search identifies the garment tag and interprets the symbols.

For example, on a bath towel, a symbol resembling a face with two dots is identified by Visual Search as a recommendation for drying cycles, indicating that the item should be tumble-dried at no more than 80 degrees Celsius. Similarly, a sweater label with a symbol looking like a clothes dryer with one dot suggests tumble-drying at 60 degrees Celsius. This feature also interprets other symbols related to bleaching, ironing, and correct washing temperatures.

The Visual Search feature is available in iOS 17 and is compatible with iPhone models ranging from the iPhone 10s to the iPhone 15. Unfortunately, this feature has not shown similar results with Android devices, as attempts to use Google Lens for this purpose were unsuccessful.

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