Strike a pose: Google’s AI-powered Clips smart camera

Google has introduced a host of new products over the past two years designed to help you turn your house into a smart home. Its most popular offering is the Home smart speaker, which allows you to play music and search the web by issuing voice commands to the device’s virtual assistant.

Since the Home hit the market in late 2016, the search giant has introduced various other devices ranging from wi-fi extenders to smart thermostats.

Now the company is expanding its line-up with Google Clips, a small camera that automatically takes pictures without any input from the user.

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The “smart camera”, as Google calls it, uses an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to detect your friends, family and even pets doing something it deems photo-worthy. The camera then takes a series of photographs, allowing you to pick the best images using editing software on your computer or smartphone.

This makes it more convenient than using the camera on your phone, the firm says, as you don’t need to press any physical buttons or wait for it to focus when taking a picture.

The smart camera can be used with an iPhone or Android-powered device. Android users have the benefit of automatic file transfer between their phone and the camera, while Apple users have to manually press a button in order to do this.

While the AI-powered camera is capable of taking photos for you, Google says the system doesn’t capture everything as it “doesn’t know a surfboard from a ski slope”. The company has therefore fitted a manual shutter button on the device so you can also use it manually.

It’s available to order now in the US for $249 (£180), but there’s no word yet on a UK release date or price. Trusted Reviews says Google often releases its products in America first, before opening international orders a few months later.