Google Image search back inJanuary 2013, changed their design to show a preview of the image, directly in the Google Image search results, behind a black bar.

Google Germany seems to have dropped that feature. Via Martin Ice Web in the WebmasterWorld forums, it seems Google.de Image search now shows the iframe again.

Here is a picture of what I see when clicking on an image via an image search for [flowers] in Google.de:

This is what I see when doing the same search on Google.com:

Why is Google switching back to the old format? It is a legal thing? It is a test? I am not sure.

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.