Previously reserved for the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Google Pixel, the famous Surround to Search function should soon be integrated into the Google Lens app. As its name suggests, it allows you to launch a search from an image surrounded on the screen.
Circle to search was one of the flagship functions of the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S24 premium smartphones. If you haven’t heard of it, it allows you to surround an area of the screen in order to launch a Google search for it. It’s a quick and convenient way to search by taking into account everything on the screen, making it more relevant. Google has gradually extended access to this function to Pixel smartphones, and the company has clearly stated its ambition to reach 200 million users by the end of 2024. And, for that, the giant of the Internet plans to use Google Lens.
Circle to search: a practical function soon accessible to everyone?
As a reminder, Google Lens is a tool launched in 2017 which allows you to search on an image in order to find similar photos on the Internet. First integrated into Google Assistant and Google Photos on Pixel smartphones, it expanded to Android and iOS, then to the Chrome browser, to finally land on all web browsers, including PC (see our practical sheet) . Google Lens allows you to search on an image to find similar photos on the Internet.
The tool offers much more, as Google’s algorithms analyze the content of the image and extract a lot of information from it. It can even translate texts in real time! For example, if you are traveling abroad, simply point your smartphone at a restaurant menu and Google Lens will translate and display on the screen what is written in your language. In short, it has become an essential tool. No wonder Google recently integrated this function into its Gboard virtual keyboard (see our article).
Our colleagues at Android Authority looked at a beta version of the Google Lens application on Android. While digging through the files, they managed to activate a pop-up that mentions that you can search on your screen directly by holding down the home button. This is precisely what the Circle to Search function does.
However, some limitations were noted, such as the fact that the function is only active when the three-button navigation is used. However, it is possible that this restriction will be lifted later or that this will be a deliberate choice, as this mode of navigation is more widely used. This addition is in any case good news since Circle to Search was until now limited to recent flagship devices from Google and Samsung, while Google Lens supports all devices running Android 6.0 and above. All that remains is to wait to be able to enjoy it!
