Ever thought about using the Pixel camera app to point toward something and bring up more information on it? Well, that's now possible on the newly launched Google Pixel 11, as the brand has integrated Circle to Search directly into the native Pixel Camera app.
Search Objects and Text Directly from the Pixel Camera Viewfinder
Previously, identifying an object in your surroundings required capturing a photo, opening the image and then triggering the search overlay. That friction has been eliminated, as the Pixel Camera app now integrates Circle to Search into the live camera viewfinder.
To use the feature, all users need to do is point their Pixel phones at the subject and hold the home bar. This instantly brings up Circle to Search, allowing users to highlight items, translate text on the fly, or zoom in for a closer look at details.
Google also says that it has improved the speed of Circle to Search and it now boots up noticeably faster than previous iterations. However, the brand never explains how it achieved the same.
That said, while this essentially eliminates the previous hassle of capturing the picture, going to the gallery and then using Circle to Search or Google Lens, Google hasn't commented on the feature's availability on older Pixel phones.
While the brand's current marketing materials highlight the functionality as part of the latest Pixel 11 launch, it is not explicitly labelled as an exclusive feature. This does leave the door open for a potential software update bringing the feature to older Pixel phones in the future.
Considering Google is bringing its newest Tap to Share feature to the Pixel 6 series, which was released in 2021, chances are the Circle to Search Pixel Camera integration will also arrive on older Pixel smartphones. This could take anywhere from a few weeks to months, so until then, stay tuned.
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