Pinterest gets a new venue for its search ads with Samsung Galaxy S8 integration of Lens

Samsung, looking to make its new Galaxy S8/S8 Plus as uniquely intelligent as possible, announced this week that it has integrated Pinterest’s visual search technology into its device.

The tech, based on the recently introduced Pinterest Lens capability, allows a user to conduct image searches of related Pinterest-based image content. A user first clicks the physical button for Samsung’s new Bixby smart assistant, then takes a photo with the camera app and sees related material.

The tech is also available through the phone’s photo gallery for existing images, or via the onboard Samsung internet browser for web image-based searching or browsing.

The image search can find similar objects, places to buy the product, the object in different contexts (like differently decorated living rooms for the same sofa or different outfits for the same pair of shoes), or related recipes if the object is a food item.

While the Lens tech is also available on any iOS or Android phone via the Pinterest app, this is the first time it’s been embedded into a phone. A Pinterest spokesperson told me that, while Lens is in beta, the underlying tech used in the S8 is out of beta. Pinterest also said it currently has no plans to utilize the tech with any other device maker, and added via email:

Early results show Pinners are largely Lensing fashion items and home decor inspiration for their homes. A surprising use case we’re also seeing a lot of is art.

The related ideas build on a repository of more than 100 billion ideas related to content found by 150 million Pinterest users worldwide. For its part, Pinterest and its growing ad business get access to the users of Samsung’s newest mobile device, who don’t need to download an app to utilize this Pinterest feature.

The Lens announcement was made at Samsung’s Unpacked launch event on Wednesday for the Galaxy S8, and the camera is expected to go on sale later this month.