Do you actually use Circle to Search on your phone? [Poll]

Circle to Search has rolled out to all Tensor-powered Pixel phones. It launched on the Galaxy S24 series and, until recently, was limited to the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.

It has us thinking that

This week, Circle to Search began rolling out to the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7a. It’s also now arriving on the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, and Galaxy Tab S9 series.

This server-side update relies on having the latest version of the Google app installed. On most phones, it will be enabled by default and you can long-press on the navigation bar once it’s live.

Circle to Search lets you directly search for things you see on your screen without leaving the app you’re in. A lot of people might be confused to the utility, but here just a few reasons you might find it useful day-to-day:

• Enhanced shopping: Ever see a cool outfit in a video or a social media post that you just have to know more about? Circle to Search lets you quickly identify those items and find similar ones online and get the best prices or find cheaper alternatives.
• Precise searching: Are you tired of typing out broad descriptions? Circle to Search lets you pinpoint exactly what interests you with a circle, highlight, or scribble. This can lead to more accurate and relevant search results.
• Identifying images: Beyond identifying objects, you can use it to answer your questions about them. For instance, imagine seeing a historical landmark in a photo. You can circle it and ask “When was this built?” to get more information without knowing the initial search query.

There are other uses for Circle to Search that go way beyond this scope, but these are a just a few basic examples that might be helpful to get you started. It’s not necessarily a “killer” feature for eligible phones, and some might consider it another Google gimmick.

For starters, it can be very easy to activate accidentally, leading to annoyance with locked-up screens that require you to close the pop-up panel when you want to go somewhere else or use another app.

While far from perfect, it is a great added tool that might be useful to many people – Samsung even claims it’s more popular than Galaxy AI features. With the rollout continuing and many already able to use the function, let us know in the survey if you’ve tried Circle to Search and whether it’s become a go-to tool for you!