Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were recently updated with new capabilities, including the new Circle to Search feature that was introduced at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked launch event. Alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24 series of smartphones, owners of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro can now use Google’s Circle to Search feature on their smartphones to perform Google Lens-like searches, without switching their current application. The AI-powered feature from Google is also expected to arrive on other flagship smartphones.
As per Google’s previously announced schedule, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have been updated with support for the new Circle to Search feature. A Gadgets 360 staff member confirmed that the feature was enabled on their Pixel 8 smartphone, without installing a software update — suggesting that it was remotely enabled by Google.
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.