Google challenges Pinterest with a new ‘inspirational’ images tab in its mobile app.

Google has introduced a dedicated Images tab at the bottom of its Search app for iOS and Android devices that displays images personalized to user interests. The feature represents a strategic move to compete directly with Pinterest by capturing users seeking visual inspiration for activities like trip planning, party hosting, home decorating, and fashion discovery. The images update daily and offer users a way to organize creative ideas and find visual inspiration. When users first launch the tab, they’re prompted to select interest topics, and Google then curates a personalized feed using publicly available images from its search database. This positions Google to intercept the “I need an idea” moments that have traditionally driven users to Pinterest’s platform.

Integrated Features and User Experience Design

Users can long-press an image to share it, save it to their collection, or search it with Google Lens. The browsable, scrollable feed functions like a continuously updated inspiration board rather than traditional search results tied to specific queries. Users can also hide images they don’t want to see from their feed, giving them control over their personalized experience. The integration with Google Lens is particularly notable, allowing users to explore related content and perform visual searches directly from the feed without leaving the app. This seamless blend of browsing and searching creates a unique experience that combines the aspirational nature of Pinterest with Google’s powerful search capabilities and vast image database.

Monetization Potential and Market Expansion Plans

The feature provides Google with a new surface inside its popular Search app where it could run advertisements, and the company has already been spotted testing an ads carousel within the image tab on mobile devices. This advertising potential is significant given Google’s existing Shopping Graph and merchant data, which could enable shoppable overlays and price comparisons directly within inspirational images. Google says the new images tab in the Search app will roll out over the next few weeks on iOS and Android in the U.S., though it didn’t provide a time frame for launching the feature globally. The phased rollout allows Google to refine the experience before expanding internationally, positioning the company to capture a share of the visual discovery market currently dominated by Pinterest’s 480 million monthly active users.