Technologies

Circle to Search Is One of My Favorite AI Tools. Shame It’s Not on the iPhone Yet

Commentary: While a lot of mobile AI tools feel frivolous, this Google Search capability is intuitive. I just wish it weren’t restricted to Android phones.

Every time I use an iPhone, I lament that it doesn’t have one of the most practical mobile AI tools: Google’s Circle to Search. Until that feature comes to the iPhone — and I really hope it does soon — I don’t think most people will realize just how useful it can be.

Circle to Search is a way to quickly pull up information about anything on your Android phone’s screen. Just long-press the home button and then circle, scribble or tap whatever you want to look up. If you’re scrolling through Instagram and see a vacation spot you’d like to identify, a pair of shoes you want to buy or a word you want to look up, just draw around it and Google will pull up a list of relevant Search results.

You can even use your phone’s camera to point at something, then use Circle to Search to find out more. And a new capability that debuted on Thursday continuously translates text as you scroll through social media posts or switch between apps.

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Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature has some similarities to Circle to Search; it uses Apple Intelligence to identify what’s around you and whatever you snap a picture of. A new functionality arriving with iOS 26 will allow the tool to work with screenshots, so you can ask ChatGPT about what’s on your screen, add an event to your calendar or search for a product. But those capabilities are still relatively limited compared with Circle to Search. Plus, Visual Intelligence is available only on iPhone 15 Pro models or later, while Circle to Search is on a much broader range of Android phones.

I’ve used Circle to Search for a variety of tasks, from figuring out where to buy tea sets to identifying a song to looking up the breed of cute cats. (Clearly, the use cases are diverse.) It’s a seamless way of finding relevant links and information about anything that piques your curiosity, without struggling to describe it in a traditional Google search — especially when you don’t know the name of what you’re searching.

But if you do prefer to add words to your query, you can still do that with Circle to Search. Once the results pop up at the bottom of your screen, you can type in the Search bar to get more specific answers and information.

Circle to Search debuted in January 2024 on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and the Pixel 8 lineup, and it’s now available on the latest Pixel devices as well as on Galaxy S, Z and A phones — meaning it’s not just confined to the priciest devices.

When will Circle to Search come to iPhones?

I’m glad more phones are getting Circle to Search and that it’s become somewhat standard on a handful of premium and more affordable Android phones (and I hope it lands on more). But I’m eagerly awaiting the day this feature arrives on the iPhone. I’m not holding my breath for Apple to announce the arrival of this capability at its iPhone 17 event on Tuesday, but I suppose anything’s possible.

Google hasn’t said anything about bringing Circle to Search to Apple devices, though you can carry out a similar function on iPhones using Google Lens in the Google app and on Chrome. But that’s simply not good enough for me. Circle to Search has been out for nearly two years, and it’s about time it made its iPhone debut in full force.

It’s a contentious time for tech companies like Google, Samsung and Apple, which are racing to crank out the most advanced AI-powered features. So while other Google apps and features like Lens, Drive and Calendar have made their way onto the iPhone, this is a whole different ball game.

But if reports about Apple potentially supercharging Siri with Google’s Gemini are any indication, there’s a high chance the two companies can agree that Circle to Search is a feature that also belongs on iPhones. And once it arrives, you’ll likely wonder how you ever lived without it.

Until then, I’ll just keep wishing I had an Android phone in my hand each time I scroll past a particularly tantalizing teapot on Instagram.

Technologies

Apple Reportedly Planning Cheaper Macs to Compete With Budget Chromebooks, PCs

Apple doesn’t market its machines as affordable, but that could be changing.

Apple may release more affordable Mac laptops to compete with Chromebooks and budget-friendly Windows laptops as early as 2026.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports the company has plans to roll out a machine for «well under $1,000.» According to Gurman, the new laptop is already in early production under the codename J700. This matches earlier rumors that a low-cost MacBook Air was in the pipeline at around $599, which would allow Apple to directly compete with other cheap laptops, including Chromebooks and Windows PCs.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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According to the report, costs will be kept down by using a lower-end LCD that’s smaller than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, potentially making the new affordable MacBook as small as 12 inches.

Another way Apple could reduce the cost is by using an A-series iPhone chip, which falls short of the top-tier performance offered by the MacBook Pro or the current M4 Air. The upcoming chip may be a variant of the A19 Pro chip that debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, which Apple says is capable of MacBook-level performance.

As CNET senior editor Matt Elliott noted, the promise is a bold one. He speculates that the rumored $599 MacBook Air may get the same smartphone processor, or an M-series chip based on that architecture.

Bloomberg also reports that a MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro and M5 Max chip is in development, and Apple has completed work on a MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip, which is planned for release early next year.

The affordable laptop would be designed for casual users, students and businesses, specifically individuals who need a device for tasks such as web browsing, light media editing and document creation. The tech giant is also targeting the education market, as well as iPad buyers who may also want a traditional laptop.

«If this is strictly a move to entice consumers with a high-quality, lower-cost MacBook running MacOS in place of an iPad with a keyboard, then yes, Apple can likely take a chunk of that market,» said Josh Goldman, managing editor at CNET.

«Making inroads into the education market at this point, where Chromebooks have taken over since the pandemic, will prove challenging, though I’m sure it’s nothing that throwing billions of dollars at can’t fix,» CNET’s Goldman said.

This price range is ‘a big departure’

Price is likely to be key here. A $599 price tag would place the new Mac in the same range as more affordable Chromebooks and entry-level laptops, representing a significant change from Apple’s previous strategy.

«Apple potentially dipping into the Chromebook range of $300 to $500 with a new MacBook is a big departure,» said Goldman.

He notes that one of Apple’s most affordable MacBooks is the M4 MacBook Air, available new starting at $999 for the 13-inch model. Walmart still sells a new M1 MacBook Air, a 5-year-old laptop, for around $600.

By contrast, an iPad 11th Gen with a Magic Keyboard will run you around $600, making it clear that Apple’s target market for the rumored device is students and lighter users.

Apple typically hasn’t targeted the lower-priced segment of the market with its MacBooks. However, with consumer wallets under pressure from inflation, high tariffs and layoffs, an affordable MacBook could be imperative and timely.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 5, #408

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 5, No. 408.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is pretty diverse. The blue answers stuck out to me right away, because some of them are super famous and the others felt like they belonged with those names. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: How to see a game.

Green group hint: Soccer.

Blue group hint: Giddy up!

Purple group hint: Not a run play.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Ways to consume a sporting event.

Green group: NWSL teams.

Blue group: Triple Crown horse racing winners.

Purple group: Pass ____.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is ways to consume a sporting event. The four answers are in person, radio, streaming and television.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is NWSL teams. The four answers are Current, Dash, Pride and Spirit.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Triple Crown horse racing winners. The four answers are Citation, Gallant Fox, Omaha and Secretariat.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is pass ____. The four answers are breakup, interference, protection and rush.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 5, #878

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Nov. 5, #878.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has a diverse mix of topics, including a neat blue category that music fans will ace. And it isn’t too tough, but if you need help, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Mess up.

Green group hint: Lead pipe is another one.

Blue group hint: They command the stage.

Purple group hint: Not snow, but …