Google is actively testing upgrades to Gemini Live’s floating interface, enhancing its usability and integration with other applications, as part of its broader strategy to replace Google Assistant with Gemini on Android phones by the end of the year.
The core objective of these optimizations is to create a more efficient interface for real-time conversations and information exchange. Google is experimenting with a compact Gemini Live interface designed to occupy a smaller portion of the screen, minimizing obstruction and improving the user experience. This builds upon previous efforts to refine the overlay, which is now expanding its capabilities through extensions that support various apps.
The standard Gemini has long supported extensions for apps such as Google Calendar, Keep, Maps, and Tasks. Google recently introduced support within Gemini Live, further enriching its functionality. In addition to extension support, Google is exploring the integration of context cards from these apps directly within Gemini Live, presenting information in an easily understandable format. While initial support for these context cards was limited, the latest iteration showcases a cleaner format within the condensed Gemini Live interface.
This enhanced interface allows Gemini Live to provide relevant information while consuming less screen real estate. In contrast, the current Gemini Live UI occupies the entire screen, which can hinder usability. The updated interface addresses this issue by allowing users to resize Gemini Live and seamlessly return to the app running in the background. This is particularly useful when using Gemini Live to input information into another application.
The sleeker Gemini Live interface isn’t yet live for the general public. It was enabled by tweaking internal settings in version 16.32.48 of the Google app, suggesting its developmental stage. The primary advantage of this new interface is its reduced footprint, but it also offers a fundamental improvement over the current method of using Gemini Live. Currently, closing Gemini Live redirects users to the standard Gemini chatbot interface, requiring an additional step to return to the previously used app. The floating Gemini Live UI aims to eliminate this inconvenience by allowing users to easily resize and interact with Gemini Live intermittently without losing their place in the background app.
The upgraded floating interface enables users to view notes from Keep or explore locations in Maps using cards. Support for the Pixel Weather app is also integrated via extensions within Gemini Live. Google is already testing a floating interface for the regular Gemini chatbot in beta, suggesting a potential rollout of a similar interface for Gemini Live in the future.
It is important to note that the features discovered through APK teardowns, such as this one, are based on work-in-progress code and may not necessarily be released to the public. However, the ongoing development and testing of these features indicate Google’s commitment to enhancing the Gemini Live experience and its seamless integration with other applications.
