iPhone owners, eat your heart out. Android is the clear winner with a new tool that Google has introduced called ‘Circle to Search.’ This innovative tool allows you to search for anything on your screen without switching apps, making information discovery more seamless and intuitive than ever before.
GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS – SIGN UP FOR KURT’S NEWSLETTER – THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE
How ‘Circle to Search’ works
‘Circle to Search’ is activated by long-pressing the home button or navigation bar on your Android device. Once activated, you can select any part of your screen using various gestures:
- Circling an object
- Highlighting text
- Scribbling over an area
- Tapping on an item
The AI-powered search then provides relevant information about your selection right on your screen without interrupting your current activity.
Credit: Google
Credit: Google
BEST ANTIVIRUS FOR ANDROIDS – CYBERGUY PICKS 2024
Versatile search capabilities
This feature is incredibly versatile, allowing you to search for a wide range of content:
- Visual searches: Identify objects, clothing, or products in images or videos
- Text-based searches: Look up unfamiliar terms or concepts
- Multisearch: Combine image and text queries for more specific results
Credit: Google
Real-world applications
The possibilities for ‘Circle to Search’ are vast:
- Shopping: Identify and find similar products while browsing social media
- Learning: Look up unfamiliar terms or concepts while reading articles
- Entertainment: Get more information about actors, locations, or objects in videos
- Problem-solving: Find solutions to visual puzzles or math problems
BEST ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR ANDROID
AI-powered insights
‘Circle to Search’ leverages Google’s advanced AI to provide comprehensive information. When you ask a question about your selection, the feature can pull together relevant details from across the web, offering a more in-depth understanding of the topic.
Credit: Google
Supported devices
‘Circle to Search’ is currently available on select premium Android smartphones, including:
- Google Pixel 6 series and later
- Samsung Galaxy S21 series and later
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and later
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and later
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series
Credit: Google
How to use ‘Circle to Search’
To search for text, images, or videos on your screen:
- On Gesture navigation mode, long press the navigation handle.
- Start Circle to Search:
- On 3-button navigation mode, long press the Home button.
Credit: Google
- Circle, highlight or tap anywhere on the screen to select the text, image, or video you want to search.
- If desired, you can refine your search, by adding text in the search bar.
Credit: Google
Your search results appear at the bottom of the screen. To see more results, swipe up on the results.
Kurt’s key takeaways
‘Circle to Search’ represents a significant step forward in making information access more intuitive and seamless on mobile devices. By eliminating the need to switch between apps, it allows you to stay focused on your current tasks while satisfying their curiosity. As this feature continues to evolve and expand to more devices, it has the potential to revolutionize how we interact with and learn from the digital world around us.
What other features or improvements would you like to see in mobile search tools to enhance your user experience? Let us know in the comments below.
FOR MORE OF MY SECURITY ALERTS, SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE CYBERGUY REPORT NEWSLETTER HERE