Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Circle to Search is meant to be a temporary exclusive for the Pixel 8 series and Galaxy S24 series.
- However, a Pixel 7 owner claims that Circle to Search is showing up in the Pixel Tips app.
- A Google product expert says the feature shouldn’t have even appeared in the Tips app in the first place.
Circle to Search, Google’s new AI-assisted search feature, first arrived on the Galaxy S24 series. The feature recently rolled out to the Pixel 8 series. Now, the Pixel 7 is reportedly saying the feature is available on it, but that’s not the truth.
As described during its reveal alongside the Galaxy S24 series, Circle to Search is a function that allows the user to circle, scribble, or tap anywhere on their screens to start a Google search. The key benefit is that you can search for whatever you want without having to leave the app you’re on. This feature was meant to be an exclusive for the Galaxy S24 series and Pixel 8 series, with the possibility of it trickling down to other Android handsets in the future.
However, a Pixel 7 owner claims that they see Circle to Search mentioned in the Pixel Tips app. Seeing as the Pixel 7 shouldn’t have access to this feature, at least not yet anyway, this is particularly odd.
A Google product expert who goes by Alex_1968 had this to say about the situation:
It is extremely odd that the Screen Search feature shows in your Tips app. The error message is correct, the feature is only available on P8 series, see THIS Help Center article.
But that error code shouldn’t be necessary, the feature shouldn’t occur in the first place in your Tips.
So, unfortunately the conclusion has to be you’ll have to wait until the feature becomes available on your P7. That Tips app misled you which is very strange.
It’s unclear as to why the user saw Circle to Search in the Pixel Tips app on their Pixel 7. As the product expert says, the feature shouldn’t even be there in the first place for an error code to be brought up. Regardless, if your Pixel 7 suggests Circle to Search is available right now, don’t believe it. However, it’s likely the feature will roll out to the Pixel 7 eventually.
