Google's Gemini May Replace Circle to Search with New Visual Search Tool

Google's reconsidering its approach to Circle to Search within Gemini (APK teardown)

While still not user-accessible, Google's been changing how this tool is labeled and what happens once you activate it. Google's long had a bit of overlap when it comes to all the various services and apps it offers, so it shouldn't be any surprise that it can be a little tricky keeping track of what functionality is available where. For instance, just last week we saw Google bringing AI Mode search to Circle to Search. And we've already been able to share what's on our screen with Gemini Live. But what about using screen input with regular old Gemini? That's not yet publicly available, but a couple months back we took an early look at how it was coming together -- and now we've got some progress to share.

Google is blurring the lines between its visual search tools even further

I've called this out for months now: Google's suite of visual search tools step on each other's toes. Circle to Search (CtS), for reference, can technically do everything that Google Lens can. Gemini's screen share, on the other hand, can do everything that CtS can, and Gemini Live's camera mode can do everything Lens' camera mode can. It looks like the overlapping functionality is set to get even more confusing as Google might be looking to bring a core CtS gesture to the Gemini overlay's 'Ask about screen' feature. Related 7 ingenious ways to use Google's Circle to Search feature Search what's on your screen with ease Posts 1 Currently, when you trigger 'Ask about screen' from the Gemini overlay, the AI tool essentially takes a screenshot of your entire screen and lets you type in an accompanying query. It then analyzes the full screen with your query's context in mind. In case you only want to learn about a specific on-screen element, you need to explicitly mention it in your query, which is an annoying additional step. I would normally just trigger CtS for such needs. It's much simpler to circle the on-screen element your query is tied to, rather than having to describe it in text. That ease of pinpointing what you want to search for is what appears to be coming to Gemini overlay's search. Coming soon to a Gemini overlay near you, you, and you The development was first highlighted by the folks over at Android Authority after digging into the recent Google app beta version16.27.68.sa.arm64. The build offers clues surrounding a new floating 'Tell me about this' button with the excerpt "Circle anything to submit it to Gemini." Sure enough, once manually activated, the tool worked exactly as described in the code strings. It replaces the 'Ask about screen' button with 'Tell me about this,' and tapping it promptly triggers a CtS-like hue over the screen that serves as an indication for you to circle on-screen elements that pertain to your query. Everything else functions exactly like the current implementation does, complete with an option for you to type in a specific query related to the circled on-screen element. The development does make it easier for users that primarily call upon Gemini for their queries, but, alas, it further blurs the lines between Google's various visual search tools. The functionality is still in development with no clear timeline for wide availability.

Google may replace Circle to Search with Gemini's new screen tool - Phandroid

Circle to Search was one of the best Android features in years. It felt seamless. Just circle anything on your screen and get instant search results. But that experience might not last much longer. Google could be replacing it with a Gemini-powered feature called "Tell Me About This." The new feature works in a similar way. You can still highlight parts of the screen and ask Gemini for more info. Previously, this was limited to beta builds. But now it's showing up with a dedicated trigger button in the latest version of the Google app. That's a strong sign this is moving out of testing and into full rollout. Why the change? It's likely part of Google's push to unify Gemini across Android and other platforms. Rather than keep multiple overlapping features, Google may consolidate them under Gemini's umbrella. This would make it easier to maintain and promote a single AI identity across devices. Functionally, Tell Me About This isn't much different from Circle to Search. But some users might not love losing the original branding and simplicity of the old feature. Whether this turns out to be a smooth transition or a frustrating downgrade will depend on how it's integrated into Android. Circle to Search isn't gone yet, but its future looks uncertain. And its replacement might already be on your phone.