I named Circle to Search last year as the best technology of 2024. It may not be flashy and rarely given attention by Google, but it is an application that is used dozens of times a day to identify objects, news sources and ensure the authenticity of images. At WWDC this morning, Visual Intelligence was enhanced to provide features similar to Circle to Search.
By pressing the screenshot button, Apple Intelligence can be instructed to identify objects in the image. For example, shoe brands or electronic equipment can be searched with the help of Google and ChatGPT. Then where they can be purchased can also be done by Visual Intelligence.
Text in the image can also be identified and the information displayed can be entered directly into the calendar complete with date, location and time. Previously, Visual Intelligence could only identify objects seen using the camera. With this introduction, Visual Intelligence becomes more useful and provides competition to Circle to Search.