iOS 15
The magic trick: You can easily identify dogs, cats and plants with your iPhone
The photo is in the box – but what kind of dog breed do you actually see in the picture? The iPhone means: Bichon Frisé.
© Hirurg / Getty Images
With just one click, animals, landmarks and plants can be identified on the iPhone – and even relatively accurately. The new function is a real advantage, especially if you have often wondered on hikes which plants grow along the side of the path.
Apple has a problem: With every iOS update there are so many new things that it’s not easy for the… It is almost impossible for iPhone manufacturers to really go into everything at one of the rare product presentations. As a result, practical tricks and tricks often take a while before the general public becomes aware of them.
This is probably also the case with the somewhat dusty “visual lookup” function. Behind this lies an astonishingly accurate recognition of animals, landmarks and plants. You can find out how to get the information here.
No additional app required on the iPhone
If you have taken a photo of a plant, a cat or a dog, you will find an info button in the large view at the bottom of the screen. If the system has recognized something, the symbol consists of a framed “i” and two asterisks. If you tap this button, a fairly extensive menu opens.
In the overview you will find information about the camera used and its settings, a location if GPS data is stored, and the time of the recording. Immediately below the image, once the “visual lookup” has determined appropriate information, you will find a paw print symbol, a map symbol, or a leaf symbol.
Smartphone test
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If you tap on this menu item, a dialog will open the first time you use the function, indicating that the following information will be retrieved from the Internet. With “Next” you get an overview of what could be seen in the picture.
Maybe Dachshund, possibly Doberman Pinscher
Most of the time, the so-called “Siri knowledge” suggests two options. In the test, this caused amusement, especially for dog breeds, because the editorial dachshund was alternatively recognized as a Doberman or Black and Tan Coonhound – both breeds whose size a dachshund would not reach without stilts. But: The dachshund was always among the suggestions, i.e. the correct result. As further help, iOS provides some images from the web so that you can compare if anything is unclear.
This is particularly useful for plants, trees and flowers, which iOS also recognizes. Simply take a photo of a leaf or flower and look up what it is – without an additional app. The same applies to cats; here too, iOS recognizes the breed surprisingly reliably. In addition to animals and plants, the system can also be used to recognize landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. Practical: It provides the address and details with just one click – in the spirit of exploring the city.
“Visual lookup” is available for all devices that use at least an A12 Bionic processor, i.e. from the iPhone