What you need to know
- Joining Google's wave of product release, the company detailed new Android capabilities such as its new conversational experience, "Gemini Live."
- The Pixel 9 picks up "Call Notes" and "Pixel Screenshots" for phone call summaries and organization for images.
- Google added that "supported" Android devices will begin receiving Circle to Search over the "next month."
It's a day for all things Google hardware, including new capabilities Gemini brings to Android users.
Joining today's new Pixel devices, Google detailed a few ways Gemini will begin "reimagining" your Android device, starting with a new experience. The multi-modal AI picks up "Gemini Live." Google says this version of its model lets users engage in a "mobile conversational experience" for "whatever's on your mind." Google states this feature lets users brainstorm jobs and ask "complex questions" about a variety of subjects.
Gemini Live is set to roll out on Android to English-based Gemini Advanced subscribers today (August 13). Additionally, there are plans to expand its language support in the weeks ahead.
The company then details how users can now overlay Gemini's UI on top of any app. This overlay is said to work for videos on YouTube, which lets users ask questions about what they're watching.
Google adds that Gemini's overlay brings image-generation capabilities to apps like Google Messages and Gmail. The AI's UI overlay starts rolling out today (August 13) on Android devices.
What's more, today's Pixel 9 announcement includes two features: Call Notes and Pixel Screenshots, thanks to Gemini Nano. The former lets Gemini create a summary from a phone call while the latter organizes and saves images.
Google's Gemini can get personal (with permission) to offer increased assistance based on sensitive account data. The company reiterates that Gemini can access your Gmail data to create a personalized workout routine based on your trainer's recent email. Similarly, the AI can leverage what's stored in Drive to create something you may need.
Of course, most of this information is started (enabled) through Gemini's array of extensions, including Maps, Hotels, YouTube, and more. Google states all of this is done on-device thanks to Gemini Nano — the smallest AI version created for mobile devices.
Everything is handled on your phone and Google adds that it never hands off any of your sensitive information to a third-party source for processing.
The post states that "supported" Android devices are preparing to receive Google's Circle to Search. The feature initially rolled out on the Pixel 8 series alongside Samsung's Galaxy S24 series. With this, users can surface their AI software anywhere on their device to highlight or circle anything and run a query.
Google states Circle to Search will arrive in the "next month."
Lastly, Google reminds us that Gemini is supported in 45 languages and more than 200 areas worldwide. This number is expected to rise as, similar to Gemini Live, the company plans to include more countries and languages as time continues.
Google says users can utilize its AI on a range of form factors, including foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Motorola Razr Plus.
