Circle to Search, which lets you perform a visual search from anything on the screen, debuted on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 and has since made its way to other Galaxy and Pixel devices. Now it looks like the feature will be available on other Android phones besides those made by Google and Samsung.
As noted by Android Authority, Chinese smartphone maker Tecno has told several members of the tech press that Circle to Search will appear on the foldable Tecno Phantom V Fold 2 next month.
It's not quite an official announcement from Google, but it's almost as good. If you use a cell phone from OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, Motorola or any other Android phone manufacturer, you may not have to wait long for Circle to Search to be deployed.
Back in May, Google announced that Circle to Search would be available on at least 200 million phones by the end of the year. Opening the feature to devices from other manufacturers will be a great help in achieving this goal.
What Circle to Search can do
Google reportedly plans to expand Circle to Search to more Android phones next month, ending the feature's exclusivity for Pixel and Samsung phones. Several reviewers of the TECNO Phantom V Fold 2, including @bencsin and Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich, were… pic .twitter.com/jssMYP1j1CSeptember 13, 2024
Circle to Search is essentially a fancy new frontend for Google Lens that performs web searches based on images. Anything that appears on your phone's screen – from lampshades to plants to people – can be used as the basis for a visual search, allowing you to get more information (or some shopping options) for what you're looking at.
Despite the name, you don't have to circle anything: you can also doodle over it or just tap on it (in which case the tool will try to figure out what you're looking for). Activation is done by long pressing the home button or the bottom navigation bar.
A recent Circle to Search update adds the ability to search for music playing either near you or on your phone – suggesting that Google is committed to improving the tool over time and is also expanding it to introduce mobile devices.
We know that more and more Samsung phones are getting Circle to Search, and it's safe to say that it will be included on the best Android phones in the future. It's also available on the new Google Pixel 9 series, including the standard model – you can find the features in our full Pixel 9 review.