The Circle to Search feature has now been deprived of one of its shortcuts, since the release for Android devices before, when the search was turned on, there was a field beneath the window that, when tapped, indicated a text search.
On the right side of this field was the ‘G’ logo, which opens the Google app, a microphone sign for voice search, and a Google lens sign. It had a ‘music’ button for music search, and another one for search of songs in translation. This allowed the users to access different search options at once and all located in the Circle to Search.
Unfortunately, the new update includes an abrogation of the two-step way to get Google Lens which, as far as it was possible no matter where the user is on the phone. It is still unknown why Google decided to remove the shortcut from the feature. Some hypothesize it might be to clean up the lock screen to make the UI seem less busy, yet, the reason is still unknown.
The absence of the Google Lens shortcut in the reorganized navbar might change how one will engage the Circle to Search feature to access more about visual search. Users will then have no option but to look for other ways to achieve the same results as Google Lens, and as a result, they will take longer to do visual searches.
Circle to Search Drops Google Lens Shortcut
The only apparent change that most users will find is that the Google Lens shortcut is no longer available. Google Lens lets users know more about some things they are seeing on their phones through their cameras. Using Google Lens is slightly less convenient now as it was from the Circle to Search shortcut that now in order to use Google Lens one must open Google or use the Home screen widget.
The change could be an attempt at further UI simplification on the part of Google, although it will likely be a loss of some functionality for some of the site’s visitors. Whether this change is permanent or Google is experimenting with the user response is still unpredictable.
With further development of Circle to Search, the expectation remains for further announcements and additional new additions. Applying the Circles to search functionality to work with videos other than YouTube can be a major value addition and possibility across different apps and services.