Previously Google mocked iPhones for not having the visual search functionality offered by Circle to Search. However, now a very similar feature is making its way to iPhones thanks to iOS Shortcuts and Google Lens. Users of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can trigger the visual search functionality very easily through the action button.
A “Circle to Search” like feature finally becomes available to iPhones
Earlier this year, Google launched the Circle to Search feature. It has been exclusive to Android so far and was initially only available to the Google Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 series models. Google and Samsung have already released the feature to a number of older models. They include the Galaxy S23 series, Google Pixel 7 series, Pixel 6 series, Google Pixel Fold, and Google Pixel Tablet.
According to Google, the main difference between Circle to Search and Google Lens is that the former is universally accessible on Android and users can trigger the functionality with a simple gesture or even a long-press.
Aside from that, both of the functionalities use optical character recognition (OCR) technology. In fact, a Google executive revealed during a previous podcast that Circle to Search is just a fine-tuned implementation of Google Lens that serves some specific purpose better than ever on Android.
Google Lens has been available on iOS for a long time. Minsang Choi, Design Manager @Google Lens, informs that iPhone users can now experience the visual search functionality similar to Android’s Circle to Search through the Google App. The Google App will actually take a screenshot and will let Google Lens handle the rest.
iPhones without an Action Button can use Back Tap gestures to trigger the feature
Previous iPhones that do not have the Action Button can also easily trigger the visual search functionality thanks to the Back Tap gesture. Users of the recent iPhone models (with Back Tap gesture support) can tap on the back of the device to launch the shortcut.
To use the gesture, users need to go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch. Then select either Double Tap or Triple Tap inside Back Tap. Users can now scroll down to the Shortcuts area, and then choose a shortcut. Select Back Tap to apply the setting. Finally, you can trigger the feature by tapping the back of your iPhone.
Aside from the faster visual search, this “Search your screenshot” shortcut of Google App now also lets users copy or translate text from images in a more convenient way.
