Expanding Accessibility: Google Unveils Circle to Search Feature for Select Premium Android Smartphones, Including Pixel 8 Series
The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have recently received a notable update, introducing the innovative Circle to Search feature that made its debut at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked launch event. This feature, now available on both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, allows users to seamlessly perform Google Lens-like searches without exiting their current application.
The AI-powered Circle to Search feature originated from Google and was initially showcased alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. Notably, Google has expanded the availability of this feature to “select premium Android smartphones,” with the Pixel 8 series being among the first to incorporate it.
In line with Google’s previously outlined schedule, the Circle to Search feature has been seamlessly integrated into the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro experiences. An interesting observation staff member revealed that the feature was activated on their Pixel 8 smartphone without the need for a software update.
This suggests that Google remotely enabled the Circle to Search feature for Pixel 8 users, underscoring the tech giant’s commitment to enhancing user experiences through timely and convenient feature rollouts.
While users can still invoke Google Lens by opening the Google app or via the Google Assistant, doing so requires you to switch away from the app you are using. Depending on what app you are running — such as Instagram — the video you were watching might not be visible and you might be taken to the home screen. On the other hand, the new Circle to Search feature lets you perform a search without leaving the app you are using.
In order to use the Circle to Search feature on the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro, you can long press the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. The phone will freeze the image displayed on the screen so you can draw around or scribble a product or object to perform a visual lookup using Google. You can also highlight text and perform a Google search via a popup.
The company previously announced that the Circle to Search feature would also be available on “select premium Android smartphones” besides the latest Pixel 8 series and the Galaxy S24 series on Thursday, so we can expect to see smartphones from other manufacturers offering support for the feature soon.