Exclusive: Cliff Wade shares his thoughts on the future of Nova Launcher Summary Circle to Search might soon save your search queries as screenshots in the Pixel Screenshot app. An early video of the integration in action suggests that the app will only save the circled or selected section as a screenshot, and not the full page. Limited availability of the Pixel Screenshots app may prevent a majority of Pixel users from utilizing the tool.
Circle to Search (CtS) is clearly an important tool for Google, and that is evident by a trove of upgrades that have made their way to the tool in a short span of time, paired with leaks and rumors of several more that are on the way. This includes the likes of a song identification feature, the ability to detect whether an image was AI-generated, and an option to trigger CtS for the entire screen.
Elsewhere, the tool is also expanding to midrange Samsung phones and tablets, allowing more users to seamlessly find more information about what's on their phone's screen.
Related Circle to Search is coming to midrange Samsung phones and tablets
Not just for flagships anymore
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Now, it appears that Google intends to integrate its new Pixel Screenshot app directly within the tool. Pixel Screenshots, which is exclusive to the Pixel 9 series for now, works in tandem with your Gallery app to keep track of your screenshots. It uses AI to capture context about the screenshot, helping you find it at a later date by typing in relevant keywords.
According to folks over at Android Authority, who were able to enable the integration in Google app beta version 15.32.37.29.arm64, whenever you perform a CtS search, the selected section offers Select Text (if text is present) and Share prompts. After the integration, however, users can expect to see a new Save prompt tagging along with the Pixel Screenshot app's logo.
Saving a CtS query via Pixel Screenshots will save a screenshot of the selected section in the app. Once saved, you'll see a view of it in the app, alongside information like when the screenshot was saved (time and date). If AI for Screenshots is enabled, users will also see options for an AI summary of the screenshot, smart actions, and an option to search for the screenshot with context. This should make it easier for users to save context about a small portion of their screen to the Pixel Screenshots app after they've found more information about it via CtS.
Limited reach for now
Although a convenient integration, it won't benefit the majority of Pixel users. For starters, as mentioned above, the Pixel Screenshots app is exclusive to the Pixel 9 series, at least for now. According to Google, the app uses on-device Gemini Nano, paired with the Tensor G4 chipset to operate. For reference, the Pixel 8a, 8, and 8 Pro all have access to Gemini Nano, and we're expecting that the app will land on these devices via feature drops, circumventing the hardware barrier. If and when that happens is uncertain.
Elsewhere, the Pixel Screenshots app's availability has a big question mark on it. Google's own blog post detailing the feature reads that the app is "not available in all languages or countries," without detailing which countries and languages are included, prompting us to believe that the CtS and Pixel Screenshots integration will likely only serve benefits to a small percent of all Pixel users.
Google Pixel 9
The Pixel 9 is Google's most affordable 2024 flagship, making a few compromises when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL while retaining the Google smarts the lineup has become known for. An upgraded 48MP ultra-wide camera is paired with a 50MP main shooter, and the selfie cam added autofocus. All of this comes with new Gemini AI features and a 2,700-nit Actua display for exceptional value at its price point.
$799 at Google Store$799 at Best Buy Google Pixel 9 Pro
The Pixel 9 Pro is a new addition to Google's lineup, slotting in as a smaller premium flagship to pair with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The latter is the direct successor to 2023's Pixel 8 Pro despite its new XL moniker, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro brings a new form-factor to Google's high-end offerings, sporting the same dimensions as the standard Pixel 9 model while packing all the AI and camera prowess we've grown accustomed to from Google's Pro lineup.
$999 at Google Store$999 at Best Buy$999 at Amazon Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a new name, but it fills the same slot as 2023's Pixel 8 Pro, having similar specs with roughly the same footprint. The non-XL Pixel 9 Pro is new to the lineup as a smaller premium flagship offering. With the 9 Pro XL, however, you get Google's fastest charging, a bigger screen and battery, and all of the camera and Gemini AI smarts you'd get in the smaller 9 Pro.
$1099 at Google Store$1099 at Best Buy$1099 at Amazon