Google is rolling out a new Circle to Search-like feature for iPhone users that lets them highlight anything on their screen to quickly search for it. But it’s still very limited.
iPhone Finally Gets “Circle to Search”… Sort Of
Google introduced Circle to Search on select premium Android smartphones in early 2024. This feature lets you search for anything on your screen, regardless of the app you’re in, by simply drawing a circle around it.
It’s one of the few AI features you can genuinely incorporate into your day-to-day life, and as much as I love Apple, I have to admit, this isone Android feature I’ve always wished iPhones had.
While Circle to Search isn’t available on every Android device, Google decided to shower Apple users with a little love. It’s finally launched a somewhat similar feature for iOS, calledSearch Screen with Google Lens.
According toa post on Google’s official blog, this feature lets iPhone users select and search for anything on their screen “using whatever gesture comes naturally.” For instance, you can draw, highlight, or tap something to search for it. This saves you the hassle of opening a new tab or taking a screenshot and searching for it later.
Circling Comes With a Catch
However, like most Google features that release on iPhone, there’s a catch.
The whole point of Circle to Search is you don’t have to stop what you’re doing or switch apps to look something up. While the new Google Lens feature technically keeps you in the same app, it’s limited to just two:Chromeandthe Google app.
So, say you’re scrolling through Instagram and spot a bag you really like. On an Android device with Circle to Search, you could simply long-press, draw a circle around it, and instantly find similar options on Google without leaving the app.
But on an iPhone? You’re out of luck unless you’re already viewing Instagram in Chrome or the Google app. In any other app, you’d still need to take a screenshot and upload it to Google, making the experience far less seamless.
Regardless, it’s still a step in the right direction.
If you happen to be using Chrome or the Google app and see something you’d like to look up, all you need to do is tap thehorizontal three dotsand selectSearch Screen with Google LensorSearch this screen,respectively. Then, select whatever you want to search for on the page, and Google will pull up the results.
The Chrome and Google app updates with Search Screen will start rolling out worldwide this week.
