In the past few years, search technologies have seen dramatic improvements with both voice and visual search emerging as alternatives to traditional text-based keyword search.

While voice search may have gotten a head start, rapid improvements in AI and the quality of smartphone cameras means that Mobile Visual Search is fast catching up.

Search has changed dramatically over the last two decades and technology has been the driving force behind this change. Search technologies continue to evolve and search engines today understand natural speech and are able to recognise images taken by smartphones.

This evolution in search has dramatic implications for marketers, consumers, technology developers and content creators. The earliest forms of visual or image search were focussed on analysing the arrangement of pixels to find images with similar matches. However, with increasing computing power and improvements in machine learning and AI, visual search is now focussing on object recognition, which will help search technologies provide more accurate image searches and recommendations.

In addition, the rising penetration of smartphones, along with massive improvements in mobile camera technology and mobile data speeds, means that users can now capture and transmit pictures more easily and efficiently. Mobile visual search represents a significant opportunity for consumer facing businesses and a new channel for engagement for advertisers and brands.

In this report, we discuss the rise of mobile visual search technology, what is driving adoption, the key players in the space and the implications for the broader advertising market.