Samsung’s new Galaxy S24s are no longer the only ones to benefit from certain useful functions made possible thanks to AI. Google is in turn starting to share this with its Pixel smartphones. And for free!
The advertising spots for the new Samsung Galaxy S24 loudly proclaim the superpowers of these devices powered by artificial intelligence. Main function highlighted: Circle to search. A device developed in collaboration with Google. And now that these new Galaxy S are on sale (you can also find the test of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the S24 and S24+ in our columns) Google will be able to pull the cover a little. The Mountain View firm has just deployed its new Circle to Search function on its Pixel smartphones. For the moment, only the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the latest released, can benefit from it.
AI on Google Pixel: Circle to Search and More
Circle to search is a feature that lives up to its name. Basically, it uses the principle of Google Lens while simplifying operations even further. It allows you to find matches on the Web for an element displayed on the screen in the blink of an eye. For example, in a video on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram, regardless of the platform, you spot a decorative object that interests you. Simply pause the video then activate the AI by holding down the small bar displayed at the bottom of the screen. All that remains is to circle your finger around the element that arouses your curiosity. Automatically, a search is launched on Google. Unlike Google Lens, it is no longer necessary to take a screenshot to submit to the app. A real time saver.
If it is text, no problem there either since it is possible to highlight any element displayed on the screen. And, for the sake of confidentiality, the Circle to Search function cannot be used with sensitive apps (like banking apps) and any app that prohibits screenshots (like Netflix while streaming a video, for example). Small bonus: it is possible to refine the search by typing text (or dictating it) to ask if there are other colors available. Once the search is complete, simply drag the pane to the bottom of the screen to find the initial app. Practical.
Other functions linked to AI and which we also find on the new Galaxy S24 should arrive shortly on the Pixel. In particular assistance with writing messages, called Magic Compose at Google, which allows you to automatically write a response to an SMS or modulate the style depending on the recipient.
Google specifies that this function, not yet deployed, does not require Internet access if it is used on a Pixel 8 Pro or a Samsung Galaxy S24. And the firm specifies on its support pages that “On all other devices, Magic Edit sends a draft of the message to Google servers to generate rewrite suggestions based on the style you choose. Google then deletes the message from the servers. When you are not using Magic Edit, no messages are sent to Google.”
Which suggests that Magic Compose will be available on other Android devices – and not just its Pixels – without knowing the deployment date. Likewise, the Circle to Search function currently only concerns the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24. However, it is not impossible that, within a few months, Google will carry out a wider deployment on its previous Pixels. The firm always favors its most recent models before declining certain improvements on older devices. To be continued.