Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR Google is testing a “More like this” feature to search similar-looking images.
The results display identical images in a grid, allowing you to easily sort or delete pictures.
While results aren’t very accurate currently, we can expect them to mature as the feature nears its release.
For most Android users, Google Photos is a great way to store and share photos across multiple devices. However, it also becomes the default dumping ground for unnecessary or unpicturesque, yet still useful, images, which can compound if you tend to keep automatic backups turned on. Finding those images can be challenging, especially if you don’t own a Pixel, which makes the process easier with the Pixel Screenshots app. Thankfully, that may be alleviated to some degree with an upcoming feature update.
Google is testing a new sorting feature in the Photos app that will let you discover identical images. In version 7.47.0.810631069 of Google Photos, we found some under-the-hood cues that point to a feature called “More like this.” We were also able to toggle it on by tinkering with the app, although it has yet to go live.
The option appears in the three-dot overflow menu inside the view for a singular image. It appears that Google is relying on a reverse image lookup, and tapping the option displays other photos that are visually similar to the one in question.
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We’re unsure if this feature is just basic image searching or relies on AI, but it is only moderately accurate. While images similar to the electricity meter easily appear in search results, the feature also tends to include generic images when asked to search based on a phone screen. However, we can credit the incompleteness of the feature for its ability to search images with high accuracy.
In addition to this new search capability, Google is also testing other sorting features for the Photos app. The list features a Tinder-style card interface that allows users to select and delete images in bulk. However, that functionality isn’t like either.
⚠️ An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
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