Google’s Circle to Search feature may get an audio upgrade: Report

Google introduced the Circle to Search feature in January this year. Although it was exclusive to Samsung phones initially, but has now expanded to include other Android smartphones as well. The feature may reportedly get an audio upgrade soon. An APK teardown of Google’s app latest beta (version 15.24.28.29) shows the audio search feature in the early stages of development, reports Android Authority.

The report mentions that they managed to activate the button UI.When activated, the feature displays a new music note icon between the manual search box and the Google Translate icon
However, the feature functionality remains missing. It is speculated that the feature will allow users to identify sounds and music playing on their device. Or it could also use the audio content as additional context for the search.
Alternatively, it could also enable voice search to recognize songs playing nearby or conduct a simple voice search, with the benefits of Circle to Search.

Circle to Search allows Android users to search with a simple gesture. They can either circle, highlight, scribble or tap on things on their phone screens they are curious about.
In another news, Google is planning to add an extra layer of protection for sideloading APKs from third-party sources. According to a report by Android Authority, the company may launch a feature that will require a PIN or a biometric before installing an APK.
“While digging through the Play Store (version 41.4.19), we found that Google is working on a way to further protect users from malicious APKs,” the report states.