Google Images latest tweak turns it into into a shopping comparison portal

A new update to Google Images finally makes the service useful as an online comparison tool. On Tuesday, Google announced a number of tweaks coming to its image search engine.

“We’ve overhauled Google Images on desktop to make it easier for you to see what’s out there, learn more about the images you’re interested in, and take the next step toward making your idea happen,” it noted in a blog post.

When clicking on an image, it’ll now pop up in a right-hand side pane and remain there even if you scroll for other images. This allows users to compare the selected image to others more easily.

“Do this as many times as you want without losing track of what you looked at; just hit the back button to bring up the last image you clicked on,” added Google.

The pane will also display key info about the image. If it’s a product, Google will display the price, brand, availability, and reviews.

The change is big for smaller retailers looking to get their lesser-known but bespoke products into the global feed. Larger companies, especially clothing firms, will likely benefit from this change too.

And the focus on turning the search engine into an ecommerce hub is clear. In March, Google added “shoppable ads” to the service’s interface, allowing stores to parade their wares as ads.

This change is perhaps a bit less intrusive for users though.

The update to Google Images is now live worldwide.

Feature image: Google