With the Galaxy S23 series, Google introduced a new way to search, the “Circle to Search.” The feature was also made available to Google’s latest batch of phones – the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro – a few weeks later. Now, the word is that this feature could come to other Android phones, but there will be a little wait before it is released on more phones.
According to a recent announcement by Samsung Netherlands, Circle to Search may be available on other Android devices this year. However, this will only happen after October 5, 2024, which is likely to coincide with the launch of the Google Pixel 9 series later this year.
How does Circle to Search work
Circle to Search is not an entirely new feature, but it is just a new way to search on your phone. Users can now search for anything on their Android phone without switching between apps. With a simple gesture, such as circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping, you can easily select what you are curious about and get more information right where you are.
One can search for items shown in a video using the Circle to Search feature on your Android phone. Just long-press the home button or navigation bar and select any item with a gesture to find similar shoppable options from retailers across the web. You can even scribble the item and tap to look it up, all without leaving the current screen. Swipe away when done to return to the starting point.
So, while Circle to Search currently seems to be only available on Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and Google’s Pixel 8 series phones, the announcement suggests that this feature might be rolled out to older Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones in the upcoming months. The feature might also make it to phones from other manufacturers like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and more.