Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro Get Circle to Search Feature Introduced on Samsung Galaxy S24 Series

Google has also announced that Circle to Search will also be available on "select premium Android smartphones" besides the latest Pixel 8 series.

Written by David Delima, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 1 February 2024 12:27 IST

Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro Get Circle to Search Feature Introduced on Samsung Galaxy S24 Series

Google Pixel 8 series has gained the Circle to Search feature without an update

Highlights

Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users can now access Circle to Search
The feature was introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S24 series
Circle to Search can perform visual lookups without switching apps

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.

Circle to Search on the Pixel 8

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.

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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.

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Google Pixel 8

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Smaller form factor makes it more comfortable to hold
Excellent and bright display
Cameras are still the best
Packed with AI features

Bad
Battery life is still not the best
Expensive
Tends to heat up under heavy load

Read detailed Google Pixel 8 review

Display 6.20-inch

Processor Google Tensor G3

Front Camera 11-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 4575mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1080x2400 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

Google Pixel 8 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Premium design, IP68 rating
Fun AI-infused software experience
Good quality cameras
Quality video recording
Impressive image editing software
Long-term commitment to software updates

Bad
Gets warm under load
Buggy camera app
Not made for gaming
Average battery life
Relatively slow wired charging

Read detailed Google Pixel 8 Pro review

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Google Tensor G3

Front Camera 11-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 64-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 5050mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1344x2992 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

Samsung Galaxy S24

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Compact design
Vibrant 120Hz display
Capable processor
Good overall camera performance

Bad
Average battery life
Recycled design
AI features free till 2025

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy S24 review

Display 6.20-inch

Processor octa-core

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 10-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Battery Capacity 4000mAh

OS Android 14

More Samsung mobiles Samsung mobiles price in India

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David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More