Recent observations suggest that Google is exploring the possibility of enhancing its Circle to Search feature with an innovative music identification capability. A leak indicated that a new music search icon was found during testing on a Samsung Galaxy S23 series smartphone. This feature is expected to recognize a song playing on the screen and initiate a Google Search for it. At this point, it remains uncertain if it is currently accessible to beta testers or if it will be released more broadly.
An insightful Reddit post from the user u/SamsungAmateur reveals the emergence of a new feature within Circle to Search, enabling users to identify songs that are actively playing. Although this feature was located on a Galaxy S23, it is still not confirmed if it will also be available on other devices or across other smartphone series from Samsung.
Multiple screenshots provided by the user give an illuminating view of how this feature operates. A new icon, depicted as a purple music note, is situated next to the Google Search floating action button, adjacent to the translation icon. In one of the screenshots, tapping the button reveals a prompt that reads, “Play, sing, or hum a song…” while a music video is played on YouTube. Another screenshot shows that the feature successfully identified the artist and song title and executed a Google Search based on that information. However, Gadgets 360 could not verify its presence in the latest Google app version with Circle to Search functionality active.
According to one of the screenshots, the feature encourages users to either play, sing, or hum the song for identification purposes. Given that Circle to Search is primarily a visual lookup tool, the addition of audio detection will represent a substantial enhancement in its capabilities. This raises questions about the reliability of the humming or singing identification. Interestingly, users on Reddit have mentioned that they did not notice this feature on devices such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Therefore, it is advisable to approach this leaked information about the feature with a degree of caution. As of now, Google has not officially announced any details, and if the feature is authentic, it could potentially be available to users in the future.