Google’s Circle to Search feature might soon break free from its Galaxy S24 exclusivity. A deep dive into recent Google app beta files by Android Authority reveals tantalizing clues that this intuitive search tool could be coming to a much broader range of Android devices via Google Lens.
The team at Android Authority managed to get a working version of Circle to Search running on a non-Galaxy device, complete with a popup notification guiding users through the activation process. The interface closely mirrors the Galaxy S24 implementation, with a three-button navigation bar and search results rising from the bottom of the screen.
Interestingly, the iconic rainbow filter animation seems to have gone through some iterations in the beta versions. While initially replaced by dots and lines, newer builds appear to have restored the colorful animation along with a Translate button in the lower right corner.
This potential expansion raises questions about how Circle to Search will coexist with Google’s Gemini AI on devices where both are present. It’s possible that Google may prioritize Circle to Search when users long-press the home button, but the exact implementation remains to be seen.
The beta files also hint at a potential pill-based gesture navigation option for Google Lens. However, this feature may not arrive in the initial rollout due to the complexities of implementing system-wide changes across millions of Android devices.
While an official launch date for the expanded Circle to Search feature remains unannounced, these discoveries suggest Google is actively working to bring this powerful search tool to a much wider Android audience in the near future.
