Google integrates Google+ with Gmail and introduces facial recognition

ADVERTISING BROKER Google has started to integrate Google+ with its other services, allowing users to view contacts within Gmail.

Google's Gmail service has remained largely separate from the firm's fledgling social network Google+, however the company has now added the ability to 'grow' Google+ Circles by adding Gmail contacts to them. The firm also allows Gmail users to share images in emails through Google+ without having to download them.

Google did not stop with giving Google+ access to users' Gmail accounts. It decided to release facial recognition with the rather unfortunate name, "Find my face". Essentially it is a way of automatically tagging photographs, but sensibly the firm has made this an opt-in feature.

Google's integration of Google+ with its other services is not surprising. Clearly as a standalone social network there is very little to set Google+ apart from its rivals, however integrating it with the firm's other services could entice people to use Google+ as part of a wider communications system.

Elsewhere Google also updated its image search for tablets, now displaying results in a carousel view. The firm claims the design tweak eases navigation with "larger touch targets" and improved viewing. Google's new image search user interface is available on both Apple's Ipad and Android tablets. µ