Google’s Circle to Search: A New Way To Search

Google’s latest innovation, Circle to Search, offers a novel way to search on your smartphone — a simple gesture that eliminates the need to switch apps.

The concept of Circle to Search is straightforward and intuitive: users circle an item on their phone screen, tap a button, and instantly, they’re presented with a page of Google search results related to the circled item. The feature will initially be rolled out on five specific models — the trio from Samsung’s newly launched Galaxy S24 series, as well as Google’s Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, before being extended to other selected, premium Android phones.

While the feature might bear some resemblance to Google Lens, there are notable differences. Unlike Google Lens which requires opening the Google app, Circle to Search can be accessed from anywhere on your device. Whether you’re using three-button navigation (long-press the home button) or gesture navigation (use the navigation handle), Circle to Search will overlay on your current screen or app, allowing you to circle, highlight, or tap a subject, including both text and images.

From its inception, Google has been committed to bridging the gap between people’s curiosity and the information they seek. Through significant investments in AI, Google has continually innovated new ways for users to articulate their search queries in the most natural way possible.

Google’s advancements have already enabled us to ask questions aloud, identify a song by humming, or use Lens to search visual content. Each technological leap brings us closer to a world where we can search however and wherever we want. And now, Google takes another stride towards this vision with the introduction of Circle to Search.

Circle to Search: Google’s Game-Changing Approach to Mobile Discovery and Exploration

Our smartphones have become portals to a universe of information, aiding us in everything from learning new skills, solving problems, shopping for the ideal gift, or even finding a reason to laugh. The journey of discovery can often be disrupted when we need to switch apps to dig deeper. To address this, Google is launching Circle to Search, a fresh, intuitive way to delve into any topic on your Android phone without the need to toggle between applications.

With Circle to Search, you can explore what piques your interest in a way that feels most natural to you — be it through circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping — and acquire more knowledge right where you are.

Picture this scenario: you’re watching an “Outfit of the Day” video, captivated by the ensemble but the creator hasn’t tagged the brands. By long-pressing the home button or navigation bar on your Android phone, you activate Circle to Search. Then, using your chosen gesture, like circling the sunglasses, you can swiftly find similar, purchasable options from various online retailers. You could also scribble over the bag or tap the boots to look them up — all without leaving your current screen. Once you’re done, a simple swipe will take you back to your starting point.

Sometimes, you may wish to ask more intricate questions about what you see. Suppose you come across a photo of a scrumptious-looking corn dog with unusual toppings while scrolling through social media. You’ve seen similar images online and want to learn more.

Multisearch vs Circle To Search

Complementing Circle to Search is an update to Google’s multisearch feature. As an existing component of Lens, multisearch allows you to modify visual searches — for instance, click a picture of white shoes, search for them via Lens, then add the word “red” to view results featuring red shoes. Now, you can ask complex questions to refine your visual search. You could snap a photo of a plant, add it to your search, and ask, “How often should I fertilise this?” — an example provided by Google that resonates with anyone who has unintentionally killed a plant due to overfertilising.

With the capability to simultaneously search with text and images, alongside the latest AI-powered enhancements, understanding concepts, ideas, or topics becomes significantly easier as you draw information from across the web. Simply circle the corn dog and pose a question. The answer is quickly within your reach.

While Circle to Search is limited to select Android devices currently, the upgraded multisearch feature is available in the Google app for all Android devices starting today, albeit only in the US for now.

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