Google Drive's iOS app introduces long-awaited document scanning feature

The Google Drive app for iPhones and iPads has received a new update. Among the most notable changes, users can now access the document scanning feature. This function had already been available on Android devices for nearly a decade.

Google Drive ranks among the world's most widely used online storage services. It earns its reputation for being user-friendly and free in its basic version. Another advantage is its well-designed smartphone app, which allows easy file management.

The Google Drive mobile app now offers a special feature for swift document scanning. Until recently, this feature was exclusive to Android devices. Today that's no longer the case and it is now available to users with an iOS operating system as well.

Google has announced the development of a new version of the Google Drive app for iOS that includes a document scanning feature. As per the announcements, this feature should become available to users at the end of 2023, by November or December.

The document scanning feature can be enabled through a camera icon. The app automatically detects the edges of the document, aligns elements accordingly, and removes any glares and tilts to ensure the image is automatically saved in document format. It can then be shared via email, for example. The app also suggests a document title using machine learning technology.

In theory, iOS device users have had to wait almost 10 years for this convenient document scanning feature. In practice, they had access to a similar function earlier. It’s worth noting that a similar feature has been available in the system's Notes app since 2017.

Additionally, Apple has decided to implement the RCS standard, a protocol which is expected to make messages sent between iPhones and Android phones more secure. The RCS feature in the Messages app is anticipated to launch in 2024.