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Google's Circle to Search Is Coming to Samsung's Cheaper Phones, Tablets

The Galaxy A55 and A35 phones will get Circle to Search soon, followed by the Galaxy Tab S9 FE tablets.

Headshot of Mike Sorrentino
Headshot of Mike Sorrentino
Mike Sorrentino Senior Editor
Mike Sorrentino is a Senior Editor for Mobile, covering phones, texting apps and smartwatches -- obsessing about how we can make the most of them. Mike also keeps an eye out on the movie and toy industry, and outside of work enjoys biking and pizza making.
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Mike Sorrentino
2 min read
Samsung Galaxy A55

The Samsung Galaxy A55, seen here, and the Galaxy A35 are receiving Google's Circle to Search feature.

Andrew Lanxon/CNET

Google's Circle to Search is making its way to cheaper Samsung phones following its debut on the higher-end Galaxy S24 line. Samsung announced that select phones in the Galaxy A line will be getting the AI-powered search feature next, followed by Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 FE tablets.

As the name implies, this feature allows for physically circling, highlighting or tapping on the screen to find out more about a photo, text, image or video. Outside of Samsung phones, Circle to Search is also available on Google's Pixel phones stretching back to the Pixel 6 and up through the just-revealed Pixel 9 line.

Four phones in the Galaxy A line -- the Galaxy A55, A54, A35 and A34 -- are set to receive the feature in August. These are largely Galaxy phones that cost at least $400, and within the US only the Galaxy A54 and the Galaxy A35 are on sale. The other Galaxy A phones are available internationally. Circle to Search is not yet available for Samsung's cheapest phones, such as the $200 Galaxy A15 or the $300 Galaxy A25. Both the $450 Galaxy Tab S9 FE and $600 S9 FE Plus tablets will also receive Circle to Search at a later date, which wasn't announced. 

The broadening of Circle to Search comes a day after the Made by Google event, where Google demonstrated upcoming Gemini AI features like the conversational Gemini Live alongside new capabilities for its Gemini-based Google Assistant, such as asking it to compose a letter to a professor. Some of the more advanced Gemini features will require a subscription to Gemini Advanced, but others like Circle to Search appear to just require owning specific phones such as these Galaxy A devices.

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