Google launches Style Match so you can shop via your phone’s camera

Welcome to the future.

Instagram may have just launched a shopping feature, but Google has one-upped it with the arrival of Style Match.

The new feature allows Android users to take photos of apparel and homewares to find a specific item online. If Style Match can’t locate the product, it comes up with a list of similar ones.

It does so by utilising the newly-released Google Lens, a way for users to gain more information about the world around them via photo. To use Style Match, all you need to do is view an item on your camera and Google will search through millions of products – even understanding things like texture, shape, colour and more in real time – to give you a match.

Android phones could already pinpoint works of art, pet breeds and buildings, so this is the natural next step.

Style Match is expected to roll out over the next few weeks.