What you need to know
- A new female voice for Gemini is apparently being tested, providing users with two voice options now.
- The new voice feature is currently only available for Android users, not iOS or web.
- The new voice options are in a limited trial phase and are not yet globally available.
Google has been tweaking its Gemini language model, and the next update might be a brand-new voice interface.
Google Assistant currently offers a variety of voice options, but Google's new AI assistant, Gemini, which might replace Assistant, has only had one voice so far. However, a recent report from 9to5Google suggests this is about to change as Google is working on adding more voice options for Gemini.
At this year's Google I/O conference, the company announced plans to roll out a wider selection of realistic voice options for users to choose from.
Then, about a month ago, early signs indicated that Google was working on a new voice setup for Gemini, first spotted by Android Authority. Back then, the feature was still in its early stages, meaning it wasn't operational at the time.
9to5's report reveals that Google is experimenting with a new female voice for its Gemini AI. Now, users can choose between two different voices. The new voice sounds much more natural compared to the previous, more mechanical-sounding option.
Unfortunately, this improved voice experience is only available on Android phones right now, with iOS and web users unable to access the new voice yet. Plus, there's no option to switch back to the original voice.
Furthermore, it looks like this voice enhancement is in a limited trial phase and isn't available to users worldwide yet.
Having multiple voice options might not be groundbreaking, but it definitely improves the user experience. These kinds of improvements can boost user adoption since voice personalization is a common expectation for digital assistants nowadays.
Google's latest move seems like a direct response to OpenAI's recent new voice features for GPT-4o. The fierce competition in the generative AI field has sped up development timelines, and Google's quick release of extra voice options for Gemini shows just how fierce the race is.
