Google launches Gemini Live for all Android users
Google has announced that its Gemini Live voice chat feature is now available for free to all Gemini app users in English.
The search giant originally launched Gemini Live at its Pixel unveiling event, and it was available for the Pixel 9, while it required a Gemini Advanced subscription via the Google One AI Premium plan on other devices.
In September, Google began rolling it out to a subset of Android users, and it should now be available to all users, though only the free version is available for free.
Gemini Live is a voice conversational feature for Google's Gemini smart assistant, allowing users to chat with Gemini for as long as they want.
The feature offers a number of different voice options, and the option to choose from ten different voices remains exclusive to paying users.
Gemini Live is better at handling real conversation features, like pauses and interruptions, and Google has also built it in with context retention to remember past interactions, making subsequent conversations more useful.
Android users with compatible devices and the Gemini app will notice a new wave icon next to the microphone and camera icons.
Tapping it activates Gemini Live, allowing for two-way voice chat. The AI speaks fluently with slight voice modulation, though it lacks the emotional responses found in ChatGPT’s advanced voice mode.
The feature is useful for users on the go, providing a verbal way to get summaries or discuss topics.
The interface simulates a phone call, with a voice wave and hold and end buttons. Conversations include a written transcript of prompts and responses for easy reference.
Currently, Gemini Live doesn't support Gemini add-ons, such as Gmail or YouTube, although Google plans to add these features as part of Project Astra, along with the camera functionality.
Currently, Google's Gemini app is only available for Android. Apple's Craig Federighi mentioned the possibility of the app coming to iPhone users in June.
“Gemini may come to iOS in the future, along with other AI models,” Federighi said at the time.
Live is now available for all Gemini users in English on the Android app. We can’t wait for you to try it. https://t.co/jev4pnuZJ0
— Google Gemini App (@GeminiApp) September 30, 2024