It has emerged that Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is working on a project that could see the little-known Goggles app combined with the more widely-used Android camera app. It is not clear why the company would want to merge the two apps, but it is possible the merged app could find application in Google’s rumored virtual reality headset. The integrated photo app could also find a role to play in the future Google Glass.

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The Goggles app enables users to identify information seen through the lenses of their smartphone camera. The app can be used to get details about text or objects in the real world. Goggles also helps with analysis of digital objects. For example, you can search Google for similar images to what you can have captured through your phone’s camera. It is also a great tool for those who might want to check the integrity of a text.

What’s new?

The integrated app is said to simplify usage of the app. For example, if you only need to analyze a portion of a large object, the Goggles app enables you to draw with your finger to highlight the part of the image you want to analyze. That is simpler than having to crop all the four corners of an object.

Although the Goggles app has long been available on the Google Play Store, it is not widely used as other camera/photo apps and that could be because many people don’t know about its existence or they feel using it is a bit complicated.

What’s the place for an integrated app?

An integrated app that combines the Android camera app and the Goggles app could be added to the next generation of Google Glass. Alphabet is struggling to make the Glass a mass market product and a photo analytics app could boost its mass market appeal.

The other area where Alphabet could use  the integrated app is in the virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets it is said to be developing. There are speculations Alphabet could launch its own version of Oculus Rift later this year.