As well as ChatGPT has landed on Android and iOS, now it's time for the Google counterpart: Gemini for Android has just landed on the Play Store from Google and opens the door to unprecedented interaction with chatbots, powered by the Gemini Pro LLM model. Thanks to this app, every Android device becomes a real conversational assistant (or chatbot), capable of understanding and answering complex questions with a simple vocal or tactile input.
How Gemini for Android works
Gemini for Android introduces an intuitive and immediate way to interact with the Google chatbot, based on the advanced technology of Gemini Pro LLM. With a simple and straightforward user interface, users can start conversation with Gemini by simply tapping the launcher icon or long-pressing the power button. Once activated, Gemini features an overlay through which you can insert text or combined text+image prompts.
To make the interaction even richer and more contextualized, Gemini allows you to take photos directly from the app or to include screenshots of the current page in the prompt, thanks to the “add this screen“. This functionality opens new horizons for integrating visual content into conversations with the chatbot, enriching the user experience and the precision of the answers provided.
Available on Google Play Store but not yet in Italy, Gemini for Android currently supports English, but is expected to be introduced support for Korean and Japanese starting next week. Although there is no dedicated app for iOS, iPhone users can access Gemini through the Google App by tapping the "Gemini" button located at the top.
One of the most frequently asked questions concerns the possibility of invoking Gemini for Android by long-pressing the power button, a gesture typically associated with Google Assistant. The solution offered by Gemini is surprisingly simple: the app can replace Google Assistant as your default assistant. This means that all the usual methods of invoking Google Assistant can now activate Gemini. However, it is important to point out that, at the moment, Gemini for Android It doesn't offer all the features of Google Assistant and requires an active data connection, although new features are expected to be added over time.
Several existing plans
For more demanding users, the version has been introduced Gemini Advanced, accessible via subscription to the new plan “Premium AI” of Google One for $20 a month. In addition to the benefits of the 2TB plan, this subscription offers access to Gemini Advanced and, soon, Gemini features built into Gmail, Docs, and other Workspace apps formerly known as Duet AI. Gemini Advanced, available in English on the web, represents the cutting edge of Google's LLM technology.
The Gemini app for Android, at the moment, works like a simple direct link to the Gemini entry point in the Google App, rather than as a standalone app. However, its launch marks a significant moment in the evolution of access to AI services on mobile devices.
Source | Google
