Summary
- The Gemini app is finally available for download in Europe and the UK through the Play Store.
- iPhone users can access Gemini through the Google app.
- On Android, triggering Google Assistant might prompt some users to replace it with Gemini.
Google Bard got a Gemini makeover in early February 2024. This was accompanied by Gemini getting a standalone app and replacing Assistant on Android, even though it lacked many basic features. While the Gemini app was first available only in the US and supported only English, Google has been working on expanding its availability. At the beginning of May, Gemini’s mobile app went live in over 100 countries, though the EU and the UK were missing from the list. Now, just over a month later, this is changing, with the Gemini Android app available for download in the two regions.
ChatGPT vs. Gemini: Which gives the better answers?
Gemini is bringing ChatGPT some much needed competition
Multiple Android users in Europe and the UK confirm being able to download the Gemini Android app directly from the Play Store. Some users on Reddit also reported seeing the option to replace Gemini with Assistant when they triggered the voice assistant on their phones. If you own an iPhone, you can access Gemini through the Google app. The update will roll out in the coming weeks.
The company appears to have made the EU release official during its ongoing Google Cloud Summit Benelux keynote. Alongside Gemini, users in the EU and the UK will also have access to its Drive, YouTube Music, and other extensions.
Note that this is only the official expansion of Gemini to Europe and the UK. It was already possible to use the chatbot by sideloading the APK manually on your phone. So, if you sideloaded the app previously, its official availability won’t change anything for you.
Google likely took its time to bring Gemini to the EU due to regulatory and privacy concerns. It took a similar approach with Bard in 2023, bringing it to the EU a few months after its US debut and international expansion.
More Gemini improvements are on the cards
As evident at I/O 2024, Google has gone all-in on its AI-powered chatbot. At its developer conference in mid-May, the company announced a slew of impressive features for Gemini, including deeper integration with other Google services to enable features like Ask Photos and deliver an enhanced TalkBack experience. For example, in Gmail, you can soon use Gemini to summarize emails, generate replies, and more — all without a Workspace account.
Besides the above, Google will soon release Gemini extensions for Keep, Calendar, and its other services. It was recently also spotted working on a Spotify extension.