Google’s clever Circle to Search feature could soon be expanded to phones beyond the Pixel and Galaxy
Circle to Search, which lets you perform a visual search from anything on your screen, launched on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8, and has since rolled out to other Galaxy and Pixel devices. It appears the feature may be rolling out to Android devices beyond Google and Samsung soon.
As noted by Android AuthorityChinese smartphone maker Tecno has told multiple tech journalists that Circle to Search will appear on the foldable Tecno Phantom V Fold 2 next month.
It’s not quite an official announcement from Google, but it’s almost as good. If you’re using a device from OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, Motorola, or another Android phone maker, you might not have to wait quite as long to get Circle searching.
Google said back in May that Circle to Search would be available on at least 200 million phones by the end of the year. By making the feature available to devices from more manufacturers, we can significantly reach that goal.
What Circle to Search can do
Google is reportedly planning to roll out Circle to Search to more Android phones next month, ending the feature’s exclusivity for Pixel and Samsung phones. Multiple reviewers of the TECNO Phantom V Fold 2, including @bencsin and Android Central’s Nicholas Sutrich, were told by… pic.twitter.com/jssMYP1j1CSeptember 13, 2024
Circle to Search is essentially a slick new front end for Google Lens, which performs web searches based on images. Anything that appears on your phone’s screen—from lampshades to plants to people—can be used as the basis for a visual search, helping you get more information (or some shopping options) for whatever you’re looking at.
Despite the name, you don’t necessarily have to circle something: you can also scribble over it or simply tap on it (in which case the tool will try to identify what you’re looking for). You activate it by long-pressing the home button or the bottom navigation bar.
A recent update to Circle to Search added the ability to search for music playing around you or on your phone, suggesting that Google is committed to improving the tool over time and rolling it out to mobile devices as well.
We know that more Samsung phones are getting Circle to Search , and it’s safe to say it’ll be included on the best Android phones going forward too. It’s also on the new Google Pixel 9 series, including the standard model – see our full Pixel 9 review for the features.