No more messy screenshots: Google's AI app is simply genius (but Apple might have a better idea)

But, of course, Google loves flexing its AI muscles, which is why you’d also be able to search your screenshots by typing in a prompt like “fried rice recipe with peanuts.” Gemini Nano will go through your screenshots and pull up the exact one you need. It’s like having a super-organized friend who remembers everything for you (except they won’t judge you for the weird stuff you screenshot).

With Gemini Nano working in the background, you’d also be able to ask for specific info - like how much something you screenshotted costs, and it’ll find the exact screenshot where that info is hiding. I find this one particularly useful since I constantly screenshot stuff I intend to buy.

Is Google missing the point though? I want to take less screenshots - not more

But, but, but… Here comes my but…

As much as I love the idea of having my screenshots neatly organized into an app, I can’t help but think… Do we really need to be taking more screenshots?! I mean, at this rate, my phone’s storage is going to be as packed as an Olympic village during the summer games.

If you’re like me, you’ve had to spend way too much time deleting hundreds of screenshots just to free up some memory on your phone, and that’s… Not exactly fun. It’s like cleaning out your closet - except there’s nothing to donate after you’re done. Although the satisfaction levels (when you’re done) are pretty high… At least for me.

If it works, Apple’s new “Personal context” feature might be a better idea for managing screenshots (by eliminating the need of taking them)

But! That’s where Apple’s upcoming “Personal context” feature in iOS 18 comes into play. Unlike Google, Apple’s trying quite something different 0 maybe even a little smarter.



The iPhone’s AI-powered “Personal context” feature could use Siri to eliminate the need for taking screenshots by giving Siri access to your entire phone… So Siri can know and remember everything. And that’s so Siri would be able to answer questions based on all the stuff on your iPhone - texts, emails, Safari tabs, etc.

For example, and as per Apple’s demo on stage, if you ask Siri, “When is my mother’s flight landing?” it’ll pull that info from wherever it’s stored (like an email, a message, or even a screenshot you forgot you took!), and answer your question.

Where I’m going with this is that with “Personal context” on the iPhone, you might not even need to take a screenshot so your phone remembers the info. You need to see it later? Just ask Siri…

That being said, it’s not like “Personal context” is going to remember literally everything you see on your screen. I guess it’s going to depend on the apps you give it access to.

People will keep taking screenshots no matter what; AI’s goal should be to help us sort them out

In the end, I’m really glad Google’s Pixel Screenshots app is a thing now. It could be a game-changer for people like me who already have a ton of screenshots and need some help organizing and finding them. It’s a simple solution and it doesn’t ask me to change the way I do things.

On the other hand, Apple’s “Personal context” might be able to fix what I call the “screenshot problem” from the ground up by making screenshots less necessary in the first place.

However, until I see it in action, I’m not ready to say it’s the better idea. Moreover, if Siri’s going to know all my info, she’d better get it right. Which, historically… She hasn’t done very well.

Anyway… I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the Pixel 9 so I can give Google’s Pixel screenshots app a try. And let’s see what “Personal context” can do when it rolls out later this year.