Summary
- Gemini, Google’s rebranded language model, now supports Android 10 and 11, making it accessible to more users on the go.
- Gemini Nano is the future on-board AI, and it’s currently only available on Pixel 8 devices, with plans to expand accessibility.
- Android phone manufacturers aim to install Google Gemini Nano on more phones, hinting at future integration in mainstream devices.
Google Gemini’s launch (or, more specifically, Google Bard’s rebranding to Gemini) has been a highly-talked-about topic in the artifical intelligence space in recent months. Gemini is more than just a chatbot, it’s a large language model (LLM) that’s being built and tinkered with to make people’s lives easier. The more companies with large user bases for their products, like Google or Meta, invest in AI, the higher the likelihood is that people who weren’t previously interested in it will want to see what it’s all about. With that, the latest version of the Gemini app now supports Android 10 and 11.
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The latest version of Google Gemini, 1.0.626720042, altered the minimum required version of Android to Android 10+ (via APKMirror). Previously, only users of Android 12 and higher were able to download and use the app. The founder of Android Police, Artem Russakovskii, who still runs APKMirror, confirmed as much after another X user mentioned that it worked flawlessly on their phone that was running Android 10. Weirdly, the first version of Gemini worked on Android 6 and up, but every version since required Android 12 at the minimum.
Gemini Nano is the future for on-board Android AI
Gemini Nano, which is the on-board AI that represents the lowest level of the LLM’s capabilities, was only released for Pixel 8 devices. All older Android phone users are forced to use an internet-based version of Gemini through the app. There are a lot of phones that are stuck on Android 10 and Android 11 that were released in recent years, and now there’s a ton of people that have access to a version of Gemini on the go, even if it’s watered down. The app replaces Google Assistant as your phone’s digital assistant. We’ve talked extensively about whether Gemini is a good replacement for Assistant, which will probably be phased out one day for Gemini outright, but we’re still conflicted about it.
Getting Google Gemini installed on more phones will be a primary goal for Android phone manufacturers going forward. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series uses Gemini Pro through the cloud (and Nano on the device) for AI features, and OnePlus phones will have access to Gemini Ultra through the cloud. Additionally, the MediTek Dimensity 8300 and 9300 support the portable on-board Nano AI. Those chips are currently in phones such as the Oppo Reno 12 and iQOO Neo 9 Pro, and while they aren’t necessarily mainstream phones in western markets, it provides more clues to Google’s plans to increase access to it in the future.
