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(Pocket-lint) – Google unveiled a new accessibility feature for its Pixel 7 lineup during the “Made by Google” event in October. Called Guided Frame, it’s an artificial intelligence-powered system that can smartly guide blind and low-vision users to take a selfie by themselves. Influencer Molly Burke, who happens to be blind, demonstrated the feature in a Google promotional video, where she said it’s hard for her to take selfies and relies on her mom. But the Pixel 7 gives her more independence because it allows her to take a photo of herself with no help – a small, everyday thing that sighted people can take for granted.
Read: Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro colours: Here are all your options
It’s worth noting Molly previously praised the iPhone, Siri, and Apple’s accessibility features for the blind on her YouTube channel. She has nearly 2 million followers and regularly uses her platform to advocate for the vision-impaired community. So, if you follow her, it may be interesting to see her now using Google’s phone. Perhaps she’ll use the Pixel 7 for selfies and photography, but the iPhone for everything else.
What is Guided Frame on Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro?
Everyone takes selfies. Well, almost everyone. People who are blind or visually impaired or who have low vision might find it difficult to take a photo of themselves – let alone use a smartphone. Although companies like Apple and Google are getting better at baking in features to their mobile operating system that makes it easier for their users to operate a phone, no one will argue there isn’t more work to be done. Google is proving it’s still thinking about how it can improve the Pixel lineup’s accessibility, as it recently unveiled Guided Frame for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The idea first originated at one of Google’s hackathons.
The feature is simple: Point the Pixel 7’s camera at yourself, and the phone will smartly recognise what you’re doing and guide you to tilt and rotate the camera to get yourself fully in the frame, and then it takes the photo for you.
How does Guided Frame work?
You can see a demo of the feature that Molly Burke starred in above. The TL;DR version is, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will be able to tell when you’re trying to take a selfie, and it’ll start giving you prompts like “move your phone right and up”, and it’ll even start a countdown for you to pose. Alongside verbal cues, you will feel vibration signals and a dotted frame will surround your face on the screen.
Do you have to turn on Guided Frame?
Yes. To use Guided Frame, you need turn to on TalkBack (just once) and then open the Google Camera app to start taking selfies. You can always disable TalkBack if you want to stop using Guided Frame.
How to turn on TalkBack
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Tap Accessibility > TalkBack.
- Turn Use TalkBack on or off.
How to take a selfie with Guided Frame
- To use Guided Frame, open the Google Camera app.
- Press and hold your front camera button.
- Double-tap the front camera button to switch to Selfie mode.
- Follow the audio instructions or vibrations.
- The Camera app will take your selfie.
Which Android phones offer Guided Frame?
Currently, Guided Frame is exclusive to the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro running the latest version of Android (Android 13).
Read: When is Android 13 coming to my phone?
Want to know more?
Check out Google’s support hub for Guided Frame.
Writing by Maggie Tillman.
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