"Desktop Chrome Introduces New Feature Similar to Circle to Search"

Google is enhancing Google Lens in desktop Chrome with an AI-powered upgrade, making it feel similar to a desktop version of Circle to Search. With the upcoming Chrome update, users can easily activate Google Lens using a new button in the search box. This feature allows you to select items you want to search for, and then a sidebar will pop up within the current tab, enabling a “multisearch”—a search combining both text and images identified by Lens. This streamlined process eliminates the need to leave your current page for a separate Google search or to open a new tab.

Previously, users could activate Google Lens via a right-click or the three-dot menu in desktop Chrome, but this update introduces the Google Lens icon in the search bar and enhances the multisearch capabilities right from the sidebar.

The update is set to roll out globally over the next few days, according to Chrome VP Parisa Tabriz. Sidebar search results may include Google’s sometimes quirky AI Overviews, although this feature will initially only be available to users in the US.

Additionally, Google is introducing an AI-driven feature that allows users to inquire about their search history to rediscover links. For instance, asking, “What was that ice cream shop I looked at last week?” will pull up relevant links from your browsing history. This tool, expected to roll out in the coming weeks for desktop Chrome users in the US, is opt-in and will utilize a cloud-based model for results. Tabriz indicated there may be potential for on-device operation once performance meets user experience standards.

Furthermore, Google is launching a new feature in Chrome designed to assist users in comparing products during online shopping, enhancing the overall user experience.