Here's What Google Announced for Android at the Made by Google Pixel 9 Event Today

Google is taking steps to better integrate Gemini, its generative AI model, into Android. 

At today's Made by Google event, where Google unveiled the Pixel 9 series, the tech giant also took some time to announce how Android is reimagining what your phone can do with Gemini. That includes new ways to interact with Gemini on Android, like using the AI assistant to ask questions about anything that's on your phone screen. 

Google also talked about Gemini Nano, its large, on-device multimodal AI model made specifically for the Pixel, and how any personal data processed in the cloud or on-device is kept safe and private.

And Circle to Search, which allows you to draw on your screen to quickly perform a visual search, has a new share feature that allows you to circle a selection and share it with your friends and family.

Don't miss: Is the AI-Powered Circle to Search Tool Available on Your Android Device?

Here's everything that Google announced about Android and Gemini at today's Made By Google event.

There are new ways to use the AI-powered Gemini on Android

In February this year, Google brought Gemini to Android via the Gemini app and Google Assistant, replacing the latter. Similar to the way you activate Google Assistant by pressing the power button or swiping on the corner of your phone, you can now do the same to enable Gemini and get help with writing, summarize information from your emails, create images and more.

At today's Made by Google event, Google announced that it's rebuilding the assistant experience with Gemini on Android, so you can talk to the AI assistant in a more natural way, like you would talk to another person. Starting today, you can enable Gemini from anywhere on your Android phone, and you can then ask questions about what's on your screen. If you're on Instagram, you can ask about a jacket that your favorite NBA player is wearing in a post, or you can generate images and then drag and drop them into an app like Gmail.

Google is also updating Gemini to include Gemini Live, a "mobile conversational experience" where you can chat with Gemini about anything you want, whether it's a complex question about how the universe started or you want to brainstorm ideas about a script you're writing. Gemini Live rolls out today (in English for now) to Gemini Advanced subscribers on Android devices. 

Gemini Advanced is $20 a month, but you can get the first month free if you want to try it out.

Gemini is available on hundreds of phones, and is coming to Android tablets

According to Google, Gemini is the most widely available AI assistant, now supported in 45 languages in more than 200 countries and territories. And it's available on hundreds of different phones: On the Galaxy Z Fold 6, you can use Gemini in a multiwindow, split-screen view. And the Motorola Razr Plus allows you to use Gemini from the phone's external display without you ever opening up your phone. 

And good news for tablet owners -- starting later this week, Gemini will be available on Android tablets.

Circle to Search has a new share feature

The Circle to Search feature that debuted on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series at the beginning of the year, which is powered by Gemini and allows you to quickly Google search anything on your phone, is available on more devices than when the feature was initially released in January this year, like the Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Pixel 7 and the Pixel Tablet.

At Made by Google, Google announced a new share feature for Circle to Search, which allows you to circle something on your phone, like a food dish or a show, and then share that, and any relevant search information, with others. The share feature will be available in the next month on supported Android devices.

Google also talks privacy and security when it comes to Gemini on Android

As a way to quell people's concerns when it comes to AI and their personal data, Google spent some time talking about privacy and security.

If you use Gemini, your personal data and information goes through Google. And if you're using Gemini to summarize your emails or proofread your cover letter, it needs to access your data. At today's Made by Google event, Google discussed how this is done securely, without requiring your information to go off to a third-party AI provider.

With Gemini Nano, which is excessive to the Pixel 8 and now the Pixel 9, data never leaves your phone for some of the most sensitive use cases, like summarized audio from phone calls or screenshots in your camera roll.

For more, check out our Made by Google watch party.