AI Startup Hug Face has released a new app for iOS. This is to use only one. We'll explain it from the iPhone camera perspective, using offline, local AI.
An app called HuggingSnap embraces Face's internal vision model, Smolvlm2, to analyze what your phone is seeing in real time without sending data to the cloud. When you point to the camera and ask questions or request an explanation, HuggingsNap will identify the object, explain the scene, read the text, and generally try to understand what you are seeing.
Image credit: hugging your face
The concept is certainly not novel. Many AI-powered apps, as well as Apple's proprietary Apple Intelligence Suite of AI-powered feature suite, can accomplish the same. But as you hug your face notes in the HuggingsNap's App Store description, HuggingSnap works offline, is energy efficient and processes all your phone's data.
“It can be useful when shopping, traveling, studying, or simply exploring your surroundings,” the company writes. “HuggingsNap brings Smart Vision AI to the iPhone.”
HuggingsNap requires iOS 18 or later. It is also compatible with MacOS devices and Apple Vision Pro. If you want to use it on a laptop or headset instead, that's true.