Google

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Find the highest-quality original images online with Reverse Image Search

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Find the original version
Is the best copy of a picture you have blurry and pixellated? Use Google’s image lens tool to find the original.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can use Google reverse image search to find a higher-resolution (and higher-quality) original version of an image online. If you’re putting together a presentation, making a YouTube video or writing a blog post, you want the highest quality versions of every image. You might feel stuck if you only have a low-quality picture and you need to fill a bigger space.

Google reverse image search will let you upload a photo and find matches all around the web. You can find out where it’s from to cite the source and save the uncompressed original image. Let me show you how Google reverse image search works.

Gemini Live brings camera and screen sharing to iPhone

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Gemini Live mockup on iPhone
Gemini Live will get a lot more powerful on the iPhone.
Photo: ChatGPT

Gemini Live gets better on the iPhone, with Google rolling out free camera and screen sharing support to all users.

The feature allows you to feed a live stream of your surroundings using the iPhone’s camera, and interact with Gemini to get more information about it.

How to make Google Translate your iPhone’s default translation app

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Make Google Translate the iPhone default translation app
Google Translate can take on converting text into a language you can read.
Image: Cult of Mac

If Apple Translate doesn’t offer the languages you need, you can set Google Translate as your iPhone or iPad’s default translation app. Google’s translation app supports 249 languages, whereas Apple Translate currently can handle only 19.

That broad scope comes in handy if you regularly read materials written in languages that Apple Translate doesn’t cover. And Google Translate is not the only alternative translation app for iPhone.

Apple considers building AI search into Safari

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AI MacBook
Safari searches could soon go to an AI, not a traditional search engine.
Image: Cult of Mac

Before too much longer, doing a search in the Safari web browser might bring up AI-powered results rather than the standard Google search engine, according to Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services.

Cue points out that this is Apple following a trend, as the company sees Safari users increasingly turning to AIs in place of traditional search engines.

Meta, Match and Spotify join forces against Apple and Google

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Meta Match and Spotify join forces against Apple and Google
Once again, conflicts arise over App Store practices.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

A new battle brews in the tech world as major app developers band together to challenge Apple and Google’s control over the mobile ecosystem, according to a new report. Meta, Match and Spotify join forces against Apple and Google, forming a lobbying coalition aimed at influencing policy around age verification requirements and addressing long-standing grievances about app store practices.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI ready to buy Chrome from Google

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OpenAI willing to buy Chrome
If money permits, OpenAI would buy Chrome from Google.
Photo/Graphics: OpenAI/Google/CultOfMac

If the U.S. federal judge orders Google to sell Chrome, OpenAI would be willing to buy it. Nick Turley, the head of ChatGPT at OpenAI, revealed this during his testimony in the ongoing Google antitrust trial.

When asked if OpenAI would buy Chrome, he replied, “Yes, we would, and so would many other parties.”

Google Lens now lets you search your iPhone’s screen

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Google search on iPhone
The Google Search experience is getting better on your iPhone.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Google is bringing Circle to Search, one of its best search features, from Android to iPhone. Like on Android, you can now circle on your iPhone’s screen to search for the on-screen content.

The feature is coming to Google Chrome and the Google app through Lens integration.

iPhones take 2 MKBHD Smartphone Awards, including a big surprise

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MKBHD Smartphone Awards
Tech influencer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) named iPhone 16 Best Small Phone in 2024.
Photo: MKBHD Awards

Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee recognized Apple’s iPhone 16 series in two significant categories in his much-anticipated 2024 smartphone awards Thursday. No one will be shocked to hear iPhone 16 Pro won for Best Camera in the MKBHD Smartphone Awards 2024. But some might raise an eyebrow to learn iPhone 16 won for Best Small Phone.

And no iPhone took the coveted MKBHD Phone of the Year prize. That went to the “boring” Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which also won Best Big Phone.

Google and Samsung’s new headset takes on Vision Pro

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Google and Samsung's Android XR headset
Here's what Google and Samsung's Android XR headset might look like.
Photo: Google and Samsung

In a strategic move that could reshape the mixed-reality landscape, Google and Samsung announced a partnership Thursday to develop a new mixed-reality headset running on the Android XR operating system, according to a new report. Clearly, the Google and Samsung Android XR headset directly challenges Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s headsets in the premium market.

The collaboration aims to create a more accessible and diverse ecosystem for extended reality (XR) devices, potentially offering buyers, including Apple users, alternative options in the growing mixed-reality space. More competition could impact both features and pricing, of course.

Google might be forced to sell Chrome web browser

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Chrome web browser
Chrome might not belong to Google much longer — a sale could be in the offing.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly hoping to require Google to sell Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser — it’s even preferred by a majority of Mac users.

And this is just one of the possible consequences of a federal judge ruling this autumn that Google is a monopolist.

Google’s Gemini AI gets its own chatty iPhone app

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Google Gemini for iPhone app
The Google Gemini for iPhone app can generate images with text prompts.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Gemini application for iPhone that launched Thursday gives users direct access to Google’s AI-powered virtual assistant.

Have a conversation, get advice or generate images with the app.

HDR photos from Android and iPhone will now work better across platforms

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iPhone 15 Pro Max
You can now share HDR photos across Android and iOS without compatibility issues.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Apple added the ability to capture HDR photos with the iPhone 13 Pro back in 2021. Google introduced its own take, Ultra HDR, starting with Android 14 in 2023. Despite this, HDR photos from iPhones typically open as SDR images on Android phones and vice versa.

Thankfully, Apple and Google are working to resolve this issue by supporting a common standard for HDR gain map metadata.

AI falls low on user wishlists for smartphone upgrades. See what they really want.

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AI low on smartphone upgrade wishlists
iPhone and other smartphone shoppers may not have AI at top of mind.
Photo: Apple

With Apple Intelligence features coming out to much fanfare, it seems smartphone users don’t actually rank AI very high on their wishlists when considering smartphone upgrades, according to a new survey out Friday. With AI low on smartphone upgrade wishlists, what do they crave? Much higher among their hopes are longer battery life, more storage and better cameras. You know, the “classics.”

How court-ordered changes to Google Play could affect Apple’s App Store

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Google Play vs Apple
How will a major court ruling against Google Play affect Apple?
Image: Google/Apple

A U.S. federal judge ordered sweeping changes to Google Play, the default source for Android applications. Rival Android software marketplaces will get a big boost as a result.

While the iPhone App Store is similar, Apple’s and Google’s situations are different enough that iPhone users shouldn’t expect similar changes anytime soon. Long term? That’s a different story.

Today in Apple history: Google comes out of beta

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Google Apple
Google and Apple were friends at first. It didn't last.
Photo: Google/Apple

September 21: Today in Apple history: Google comes out of beta September 21, 1999: A little startup called Google comes out of beta, with the launch of a website that will let the general public easily search the internet for information.

To Apple, which is embracing the internet with its twin iMac G3 and iBook products, Google seems like the perfect ally. Sadly, the relationship between the two companies won’t remain rosy for long.

Google finally brings Chrome tab groups to iPhone

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Google finally brings Chrome tab groups to iPhone
The wait for Chrome tab groups on iPhone is over at last.
Photo: Google/Cult of Mac

Tab groups, a feature of Google’s Chrome desktop browser for years, finally made its way to the iPhone and iPad version of the web browser.

The goal is to bring some order to the huge pile of tabs so many people keep open.

Google Photos gets smarter, more powerful AI-powered search

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Gemini-powered search in Google Photos
Gemini-powered search comes to Google Photos.
Photo/Graphics: Google/Rajesh Pandey

Google is rolling out AI-powered contextual search in Google Photos, its cloud-based photo backup solution. The feature aims to supercharge the search experience in Google Photos using AI.

Google’s Gemini AI models power the new ‘Ask Photos’ search in Google Photos.

Today in Apple history: Apple frenemy Google goes public

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Google Apple
Relations between Apple and Google started strong, but quickly deteriorated.
Photo: Apple/Google logos

August 19: Today in Apple history: With Google IPO, an Apple frenemy goes public August 19, 2004: Google floats its initial public offering on the stock market. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin turn into instant billionaires as the Google IPO cements the company’s status as a tech giant.

Relations between Google and Apple are good at the time, with Steve Jobs serving as a mentor to the search company’s two young founders. Google’s Eric Schmidt soon will join Apple’s board of directors. However, the peace won’t last long.

Why Apple’s dodgy deal with Google should have ended years ago

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Apple Google privacy meme
Google can no longer pay Apple to weaken iPhone's privacy protections.
Graphic: Imgflip

Apple should never have entered into the deal that had Google paying billions every year to be the default search engine for iPhone, Mac, and iPad. And it’s shameful that it’ll take a court order to finally make Apple do the right thing.

A company that claims to carefully protect the privacy of its users shouldn’t be part of an arrangement that steered those users toward Google, whose business is built on privacy violation. Interestingly, some users may find that certain websites require specific browser settings to function correctly, such as ensuring you enable JavaScript on iPhone for a smoother browsing experience.

Paying Apple to be Safari default search engine makes Google a ‘monopolist’

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Google search on iPhone
Google paying Apple to be Safari's default search engine is a big no-no.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

A U.S. federal judge ruled Monday that Google paying Apple billions to be the default search engine on iPhone and other devices is a violation of antitrust law. He said it makes Google a monopolist.

This is the result of a court case brought by the Department of Justice against Google. Apple isn’t directly involved, though its annual income may have just dropped by $15 billion or $20 billion. Or more.

Chrome beefs up search with 3 new AI features

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new AI features in Chrome
Three new AI features coming to Chrome desktop focus on improving search history, comparing products and identifying objects in multimedia.
Photo: Google

Google rolled out three new artificial intelligence (AI) features for its Chrome browser, including support for Mac users, the company said Thursday. Powered by Google’s latest AI and Gemini models, the new AI features in Chrome aim to make it easier to search visually, compare products and easily return to websites you’ve visited. If you work with colors frequently, tools like the Nix Mini can help you match and identify colors with precision.

“We’re making it even easier to search what you see with the power of Google Lens, compare products across multiple tabs and rediscover sites from your browser history,” wrote Parisa Tabriz, Google vice president, Chrome.

Moving pics from Google to iCloud Photos just got easy

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Moving pics from Google to iCloud Photos just got easy
Transferring from Google Photos to iCloud Photos is as easy as asking.
Image: Cult of Mac

It’s now possible to transfer images and videos stored on Google Photos directly into iCloud Photos. Apple and Google cooperated to make this possible.

Wow, these two rivals actually worked together on something.

Google wants iPhone users to stop using Safari for web search

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Google search on iPhone
Google wants iPhone users to move away from Safari for web search.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

A new report details that Google wants to reduce its reliance on Apple for search revenue. Despite being the leader in search, Google pays Apple billions of dollars yearly to remain the iPhone’s default search engine.

iPhone searchers comprise about 36% of Google’s total search revenue.

Google paid Apple whopping $20 billion to remain default iPhone search engine

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Google search on iPhone
Google is paying Apple a lot to be Safari's default search engine.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Google paid Apple $20 billion for Google to remain the default search engine across all Apple devices. This figure came to light through court documents submitted in the US Justice Department’s lawsuit against Google.

During the course of the hearing, Google and Apple tried their best not to reveal the amount publicly.

Google forced to delete user data by Chrome Incognito mode lawsuit

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The Google Chrome logo with the caption:
A lawsuit revealed that Google allowed users of Chrome's Incognito mode to think the app wasn't tracking them.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Google is reportedly required to delete the data it gathered while millions of users of its Chrome web bowser were in Incognito mode as part of settling a lawsuit.

Moving forward, the company will continue to track Chrome users in Incognito mode — while making it clearer that is what is happening.