It was one of the great innovations of Samsung’s latest Unpacked, one of the members of the Galaxy AI toolset: Google’s AI can analyze everything on the screen just circling it. Originally called Circle to search, this function is currently exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy S24. Or not, because it’s Google Lens that we’ve been using, albeit in disguise, since 2018.

The mobile phone is an open door to information and communication as well as entertainment. Thanks to this touch screen, our lives are almost completely revealed; our anxieties, our desires, our doubts that provoke our desire for knowledge. To calm them down just use the camera: A simple photograph can reveal the name of that plant we just stepped on and the breed of the dog that came to greet us while walking in the park. Google has managed to channel its AI into an interaction system that is as simple as it is powerful, but it can always be simpler.

Search circle improves Google Lens

The search circle analyzes everything marked on the screen

When Google’s “visual detective” launched its services in Google Photos, I was amazed at how well it worked at identifying anything in images, even text. M.hover over photo to copy text Writing down each WiFi password character by character saved me a lot of time, for example: Lens was always too powerful for these small and very demanding tasks.

Google Lens has made its way to mobile phones and computers to identify any item in photos, no matter how small: Just point the camera or mark text with your finger. And the new Circle to search released on the Samsung Galaxy S24 is exactly that: when you point it on the lens screen, it is responsible for searching for it. Yes, easier but still the same.

I’ve been testing the new Google AI integrated by Samsung and think the new usage mechanics greatly improve the simplicity that has prevailed in Lens so far. Because to use it you only need to do the following:

• Seeing something unfamiliar on your mobile screen? Launch Google Lens in Circle format to search.
• Press and hold the bottom bar if you’re using swipe gestures, or the home button if you’re using virtual buttons. The tool menu pops up instantly when the screen darkens slightly and the video stops (if any animations are playing).
• It’s time to highlight what you want. Circle a person, circle a dog, scribble over some text… The circle to be searched will analyze that part of the image to identify what you are looking for.
• The mobile device will present you with results matching the selection in a sub-popup format. It can also present copied text, for example.

From what I’ve tested, Circle to search is really fast on the Samsung Galaxy S24, much more intuitive and much more fun than the Google Lens on which it’s based. It was very quick once I figured out how it worked search results from any app, website or photoIt seems like inexorable progress to me. Of course, there is not much difference with the Google Lens we have used so far. Now.

Neither take photos nor capture the screen: the search suite handles the entire process on its own

Search, copy or directly translate text? Check and go (Google image)

With Google Lens, we need to specifically open the application (actually a tool integrated into the Google application), capture the image with the camera or upload the photo we want to analyze from the gallery. On the other hand, Circle to search directly executes the entire process: when we run the tool, Capture the screen so we can tell Google’s AI what we want to find. The results appear scrolling on the same screen and are all integrated into the system efficiently.

I tried searching in Circle and loved it, just like I’ve loved Google Lens since day one. It seems to me that this is an excellent way to improve interaction with AI: integrating into mobile devices makes it easier to use in any application, which is exactly what an interface needs to be in the majority.

All that’s left for Rodea is to look to move from the Samsung Galaxy S24 to the Pixel 8 and then the rest of Android. Google has confirmed that we can enjoy this Circle without Pixel or Samsung.

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