Android phones just got a major free upgrade – Apple to follow 'within weeks'

Google's Gemini app is now available for Android in the UK

Google Gemini on Pixel Phone
(Image credit: Google)
Quick Summary

Google's Gemini app will be available for Android users in the UK and Europe, bringing AI upgrades to users in those regions. Apple users will benefit via the Google app for iOS within 'coming weeks' too.

It was only last month that Google's annual I/O event took place. This year that was a prominent outlet for discussing the company's artificial intelligence solution: Gemini. And while that AI tool has been available on the best Android phones in some regions, it's not been everywhere.

But Android phones in the UK just got a major free upgrade reveal – thanks to the rollout of the Gemini app here. European users will get the benefit too. As will Apple users – yes, that's not a typo – with the Google app for iOS app to receive an update in the 'coming weeks'.

A Google blog post from Jules Walter – Google's Group Product Manager, Gemini Experiences – details how the AI can upgrade user experiences. "With the Gemini app on your phone, you can type, talk or add an image for all kinds of help", citing the example that "you can take a picture of your flat tire [sic] and ask for instructions on how to change it".

You'll need the Gemini app – which can be downloaded from Google's Store here – and, once installed, you can use it by corner-swiping, saying "Hey Google" to activate the assistant, or even hitting the power button (if your Android phone permits the customisation of this button; on certain devices this will be by default). 

Walter goes on to say that doing the above "will enable a new overlay experience that offers easy access to Gemini, as well as contextual help right on your screen". It's all part of the advancement of Android, as the operating system evolves – now with AI integration that'll clearly become a cornerstone of the best phones in the near future.

Mike Lowe
Tech Editor

Mike is the Tech Editor at T3.com. He's been writing about consumer technology for 15 years and, as a phones expert, has seen hundreds of handsets over the years – swathes of Android devices, a smattering of iPhones, and a batch of Windows Phone too (remember those?). But that's not all, as a tech and audio aficionado his beat at T3 also covers tablets, laptops, gaming, home cinema, TVs, speakers and more – there's barely a tech stone unturned he's not had a hand on. Previously the Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint for 10 years, he's also provided work for publications such as Wired, The Guardian, Metro, and more. In addition to his tech knowledge, Mike is also a flights and travel expert, having travelled the globe extensively. You'll likely find him setting up a new mobile phone, critiquing the next MacBook, all while planning his next getaway... or cycling somewhere.