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    Categories: tech

Android’s AI Circle to Search Tool Adds New Features, but Can Your Phone Use Them?

With the help of Gemini AI, Android’s Circle to Search feature allows you to search for particular portions of photos or videos online.

By simply circling any area of your screen with your finger or another input device, Circle to Search enables you to conduct a visual search, much like a faster, AI-powered version of Google Lens.

You can use Circle to Search on your Android phone by holding down the home button or gesture bar while you see a product, such as apparel, electronics, or appliances, in a picture or video. This allows you to circle the product to see more images and possibly locate a store to buy it.

Continue reading: 2024’s Top Android Phone

However, is this new AI search feature going to be available on your Android tablet or smartphone? To find out if you have Circle to Search enabled on your Android device, continue reading as we keep track of the list of the most recent devices to get the new feature.

For additional information, check out Made by Google 2024’s announcements on all the new Android features and how to add Circle to Search on your iPhone (sort of).

Playing Now: ‘Circle to Search’ Allows Users to From Any Screen, Google
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Circle To Search: A comprehensive list of devices that are supported

On a number of Google and Samsung phones, including some that were introduced years ago, the AI-powered discovery tool Circle to Search has been added. The Pixel tablet is one of the Android tablets that supports Circle to Search.

This is the entire list:

The S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra models from Samsung
Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, S23 Ultra, and S23 FE models from Samsung
Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra from Samsung
Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra from Samsung
Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 Samsung Galaxy
The Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 from Samsung
Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 Samsung Galaxy
Galaxy Tab S9, S9 Plus, and S9 Ultra from Samsung
Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 from Google
Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7 from Google
Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 from Google
6A and 7A Google Pixel models
Google Pixel Fold
Tablet Pixel 8 Pro mint from Google

How to Search Using a Circle

To access the new Circle to Search option that shows up the first time you bring up the navigation bar on your Galaxy or Pixel device, press and hold the home button in the bar. The tool will replace Google Assistant as the default search tool after you use it once.

Employing the Circle to Search function
You can tap, draw, or circle any object on your screen.
CNET/Nelson Aguilar screenshots
To conduct a Google search, use your finger to tap, scribble, or circle any area of your screen once it is enabled. You can Circle to Search almost anything on your screen if you’re not sure what to look for, such as a famous person on Instagram, a lamp in the background of a TikTok, or an old T-shirt on eBay. There are really countless options.

You can then swipe up the panel that appears at the bottom of the screen after selecting Circle to Search to see more details about the object you circled, just like you would in Google Search.

As illustrated in the example below, I tapped LeBron James’ pants after seeing a post on Instagram. The pants, which were valued at $1,890, were later recognized by Google as Louis Vuitton Tailored Cotton Damier Cigarette pants. The first option in the Circle to Search panel is a direct link to the Louis Vuitton website where you can buy them. The other options in the panel display other places to buy the pants or pants that look similar at different price points.

Searching with Circle on the Galaxy S24
If the results don’t satisfy you, try reselecting the text or object on your screen.
CNET/Nelson Aguilar screenshots
You can use Circle to Search to enter a prompt to receive an AI summary or more specialized results for the item you’re looking for. For instance, if you circle a plate of bolognese, you can ask Circle to Search for a recipe that would be vegan.

I searched for “Find on Grailed,” an online marketplace for used luxury clothing that typically has more reasonably priced options, to see if the pants were available elsewhere for less money. The Louis Vuitton pants were the only grailed listings in the results.

Although no screenshots of your Circle to Search searches are saved, you can view your history in your Google settings by tapping the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of Circle to Search.

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