Google has launched a new AI tool designed to assist iPhone users in understanding complex or confusing text found online. The Simplify feature, available today in the Google app for iOS, allows users to generate a clearer, more accessible version of any highlighted text without leaving the current webpage.
Built on Google’s Gemini AI model and developed by Google Research, Simplify aims to break down technical jargon into simpler language while retaining essential information. For instance, it can clarify medical terms such as “emphysema” (a condition affecting the air sacs in the lungs) and “fibrosis” (the formation of dense connective tissue or scarring as a reaction to injury), eliminating the need for readers to look up definitions on a separate page.
According to Google, users found the simplified versions to be “significantly more helpful than the original complex text” during testing. However, the company cautioned that the study has limitations and emphasized the need for “ongoing vigilance” to identify any potential errors.
To use the feature, iOS users can highlight text on a webpage and select the Simplify icon from the menu that appears. When asked about the potential expansion of Simplify to Android and desktop Chrome users, Google spokesperson Jennifer Kutz told The Verge that “we don’t have anything to announce yet, but we’re always looking to integrate useful features into more of our products.”
