The iPhone Gets a Standalone Google Gemini App

Google on Thursday launched a dedicated Gemini app for the iPhone, giving its marquee virtual helper a bigger role on Apple’s smartphone. That also means you’ll be able to use Gemini Live, the more conversational version of Gemini, on the iPhone for the first time. 

The Gemini app’s arrival on the App Store is yet another sign that tech giants are focusing on expanding and enhancing their virtual assistants as AI becomes a larger part of how we interact with mobile devices. For Google, the launch puts its digital helper on one of the world’s most popular phones in a bigger way. For Apple, the app bridges the gap between the iPhone and Android experience when it comes to accessing Gemini. Google’s AI assistant was previously only available within the Google app or through a web browser on the iPhone.

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Gemini is still more tightly woven into Android compared to iOS, even with the new app. Android phone owners can use Gemini as the system’s default personal assistant, and Gemini can answer questions about certain types of content on your Android phone’s screen. The app gives Gemini a more prominent role since it will no longer be buried in a section of the general Google app. 

It also aligns with Apple’s AI strategy, underscoring the approach it outlined when debuting Apple Intelligence at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. It signals that Apple believes there’s a place for various AI platforms to play a role in the iPhone, as evidenced by its new Visual Intelligence tool, which lets you send image prompts to either ChatGPT or Google. And similarly, it suggests that Google doesn’t necessarily care about keeping Gemini exclusive to Android — at least not entirely. 

The arrival of Google’s Gemini app is just one of several updates we’re expecting to see when it comes to both Google and Apple’s AI ambitions. For example, Android Authority spotted some bits of code suggesting that you’ll be able to talk about your files with Gemini in the future. Siri is also getting an update in the future that will allow it to answer questions based on your personal context.