Circle to Search currently lets you translate any text visible on the screen.
Google introduced the Circle to Search feature for Android users in January 2024
Photo Credit: Google
Google's Circle to Search feature was rolled out to select Android smartphones in January 2024, and the feature is now available on a wide range of devices. At present, it can translate any text displayed on the screen, and it also lets users search the web or identify music playing nearby. A recent report suggests that Google is experimenting with a new “Live Translate” option inside Circle to Search. The term “live” indicates that this feature is meant to extend translation from static images to dynamic content such as web pages or media like GIFs and videos. It is reportedly not polished enough to be released anytime soon.
Android Authority reports that Google is working on a Live Translate feature within Circle to Search. A test version of the tool was spotted in an APK teardown, but it is not yet ready for testing. Presently, the option appears inside Circle to Search's app drawer, which is also in testing, and it groups features like screen translation and song recognition.
When the Live Translate feature in Circle to Search is selected, it asks if you want it to work across the whole screen or only in specific apps, similar to the screen recorder feature in Android 15, according to the publication.
The upcoming Live Translate tool is said to open with a smooth animation and a rainbow gradient around the screen edges that stays while the feature is active. A floating overlay allows you to set the output language, move it around, or minimise it to reveal text underneath.
The overlay for the upcoming feature also has a crop tool to translate only part of the screen, though it doesn't seem to work yet, according to the report. There's also a button to turn Live Translate off, which brings you back to the regular Circle to Search.
The Live Translate feature is incomplete and not live yet, the report added. In its current testing stage, the translated text appears only briefly, limiting extensive tests with video translations or assessing translation delays.
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