Google’s Circle to Search may be getting some new features soon

Google’s new Circle to Search tool, a more convenient way to search directly from your smartphone screen, has been making waves since its launch earlier this year. Now, it seems the tech giant has even more exciting plans for this feature, with potential new additions on the horizon.

In collaboration with leaker AssembleDebug, Android Authority recently revealed findings from an APK teardown, suggesting three new features could be in the works for Circle to Search. While these predictions are based on work-in-progress code and may not reach public release, they offer a promising glimpse into the future possibilities of this powerful tool.

One of the most interesting potential additions is the ability to save selected portions of your screen to the cloud. This feature would allow users to store screenshots in the “saved” tab of their Google app, accessible via google.com/interests/saved. These images would be saved in an “uploaded images” collection by default, allowing for easy access and organization. However, sharing individual screenshots might not be possible initially, with the option limited to sharing a link to the entire collection.Additionally, Circle to Search could gain “listen” and “select all” buttons, likely derived from existing Google Lens features. The “listen” button would enable Google’s text-to-speech engine to read highlighted text, offering a valuable accessibility feature. Meanwhile, the “select all” button could allow users to highlight and copy all text in the camera viewfinder or an image, proving handy for quickly copying large amounts of text.

These potential new features come on the heels of Google’s confirmation that Circle to Search will soon assist with homework and other educational tasks. The company also revealed that the tool is currently available on 100 million devices, with plans to double that number by the end of the year, further solidifying Circle to Search’s position as a must-have Android feature.

While these new features remain unconfirmed, they paint a picture of an increasingly useful and powerful tool that could reshape the way users interact with information on their smartphones. As Google continues to refine and expand Circle to Search, it’s clear that this feature has the potential to become an indispensable part of the mobile experience.