Latest news with #GoogleApp
Phone Arena
3 days ago
- Phone Arena
Google Search is getting an upgrade that may change how you ask questions on your phone
Google is rolling out a new way to interact with Search on mobile, and it's designed to feel more like a conversation than a traditional query. The feature is called Search Live, and it's now available as part of the experimental AI Mode inside the Google app for iOS and Android. Search Live takes some inspiration from Gemini Live, Google's voice-based chat feature that allows for natural, back-and-forth conversations. In a similar way, Search Live lets users speak their questions out loud and continue the conversation with follow-up prompts, all without needing to retype or restart the interaction. To use it, you simply open the Google app, tap on the new Live icon, and start talking. According to Google, this setup is meant for situations where you're multitasking or need a more hands-free approach. For example, you might ask for directions, follow up with a question about a restaurant nearby, and then ask for the hours — all within the same conversation. Search Live also aims to balance voice interactions with helpful visual content. As you speak with the AI, you'll see links and results populate on the screen, giving you the option to explore deeper or tap into sources from across the web. At the moment, this feature is limited to users in the US who have opted into the AI Mode experiment through Google Labs. It's part of Google's broader push to make Search more conversational and proactive, using its AI capabilities to anticipate what users might need next. While Gemini remains Google's more general-purpose chatbot, Search Live appears to focus specifically on voice-based search and web results. It's not a replacement for Search as we know it, but it adds a new layer that might be more intuitive in certain scenarios, especially while walking, driving, or cooking. There's no word yet on when or if this feature will expand to more users globally. But its early arrival in the US suggests that Google is testing the waters to see how people engage with Search when voice becomes the main method of interaction. Whether this approach sticks long-term depends on user feedback and how well it integrates into everyday routines. I, for one, find that this could be very helpful with my daily searching — as I tend to do most of it from the Google homepage or search bar. However, for now, it's another sign that Google is serious about reshaping how we interact with AI, even in the most familiar places like Search. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
Google Search's AI Mode gets chatty with its new Search Live feature
Google TL;DR Google is rolling out a new voice search experience for AI Mode in the Google app for Android and iOS. The new Search Live feature lets you have a natural conversation with Google Search, much like Gemini Live. The feature offers AI-generated audio responses to your queries and lets you ask follow-up questions for additional information. Google previewed a new voice search experience called Search Live at I/O this year. Like Gemini Live, this new feature lets users have a natural, back-and-forth conversation with Google Search and ask follow-up questions. Search Live rolled out to a few users in the Google app for iOS earlier this month, and Google has now announced broader availability for US users on Android and iOS. Search Live is available as part of the AI Mode experiment in Labs. You can try it out by tapping the new 'Live' icon in the Google app and asking questions like, 'What are some tips for preventing a linen dress from wrinkling in a suitcase?' Search Live will offer an AI-generated audio response, and you can ask follow-up questions if you need additional information. The feature also gives you access to relevant links from across the web, making it easy for you to delve deeper. You can even continue your Search Live conversation after switching to another app, view transcripts of the conversation, and resume previous conversations by heading to the AI Mode history. Google says Search Live uses 'a custom version of Gemini with advanced voice capabilities' that offers 'reliable, helpful responses no matter where, or how, you're asking your question.' The feature also uses Google's query fan-out technique to show you 'a wider and more diverse set of helpful web content.' Currently, Search Live does not offer the Project Astra-powered camera capability that Google showcased at I/O, which lets you ask questions about what's in your camera's viewfinder in real time. Google plans to roll it out in the coming months. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
Google's compact look for Gemini Live isn't even out, and it's already getting better (APK teardown)
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Google's got quite a few in-development changes in its latest Android app update, including screen-top layout tweaks. The new Gemini Live overlay we looked at last week is already showing signs of refinement. Google's working on a way to explicitly suggest AI Mode search topics. Over the past few days, we've been spotting a lot of changes that have popped up in Google's most recent update to its Android app. Those finds included stuff like work towards a new, more colorful look for the Gemini overlay, as well as evidence pointing to Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Flip 7 and Fold 7 arriving with a Google AI promo offer. But as we were poking around in search of changes like these, we've also uncovered signs of development on other tweaks that are a bit less impactful on their own. Rather than let those go forgotten, we've decided to round up a few of them here, all in one place. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Just like those last few finds, we're once again working with the beta release of the Google app for Android. None of the changes we're going over are yet publicly visible in that build, but we were able to trigger some early looks to give you a preview of how development is coming along. For starters, we've got a small reorganization that Google seems to be considering. On the left there we've got the Google app as we're currently familiar with it, featuring that big 'Google' name centered up top and the shortcut to Labs in the top-left. But on the right you can see a new layout that the app has started playing with, sliding Labs over to the right and dropping the Google wordmark in favor of the compact 'G' logo. Last week, we shared Google's progress towards building a new, compact overlay for Gemini Live that would live down at the bottom of the screen and offer convenient controls for stuff like sharing your screen without needing to jump back into the Gemini app. Well, it appears that Google's already been working on some new behavior for this mode. We already saw how these Live controls could be summoned by hitting the Live button in the main Gemini overlay. Now we're also able to access it by starting our Live conversation in the app and navigating away. You also may have noticed in our earlier look how Gemini Live showed when it was hearing you by displaying an audio waveform visualization within the overlay. While that's still present here, we're now able to also see a similar visualization when minimizing the overlay down to just the floating Live button. AssembleDebug / Android Authority Finally, we've spotted a change to how Google suggests Search queries. The app is experimenting with explicitly recommending AI Mode searches. Google seems to be going out of its way to conspicuously label these as such, and considering the controversy around that mode, we think Google probably has the right idea here. Like we said, none of these finds are particularly game changing (although that Live overlay looks quite nice), and the jury's still out on whether or not Google will ultimately follow through and ship any in future updates. Until that day happens, though, we'll keep on digging through upcoming releases in search of more changes. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
Gemini's new video analysis feature is here, but there's more coming (APK teardown)
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR The latest version of the Google app now allows users to upload up to five minutes of video into Gemini for analysis. Gemini has supported video analysis through a YouTube integration, but rivals like ChatGPT have offered the option to upload videos directly to the AI assistant, so Gemini is finally catching up. Additionally, a future update will let users directly record videos within the app, expanding current photo-only capture, as spotted through our APK teardown. Google has been steadily adding features to Gemini to help it compete better against other AI-based digital assistants. ChatGPT already allows users to upload videos for analysis, but Gemini lacks this handy feature. We've long spotted that the ability to analyze videos is coming to Gemini, and we even presented an early demo. With Google app v16.23.69, Google is finally rolling out the ability to upload videos to Gemini for analysis. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Videos up to five minutes long (combined) can be attached, which should suffice for most casual use cases. If you need to analyze a longer video, you can upload it onto YouTube as an unlisted video and then paste the link in Gemini to analyze it as a YouTube video. This feature is gradually rolling out to users, so you may need to wait to see it on your end. To check if you have the feature live, you can click on the Plus button in the Gemini text box, select Gallery or Files, and see if you can select any video files. If video files are grayed out and cannot be uploaded, you don't have the feature available to you just yet. While the video analysis feature is great, it doesn't integrate with the Camera option, which is visible in the attachment sheet. As a result, while you can click a photo from within Gemini to attach it to a prompt, you cannot record a video. Google is aware of this limitation, as code within this app version fixes this oversight. We managed to activate the feature to give you an early look at it: AssembleDebug / Android Authority As you can see, Gemini's camera viewfinder will soon allow users to easily switch between clicking photos and recording videos to attach to their prompt. Here's a video demo of the upcoming feature in action: This video upgrade to the camera viewfinder within Gemini is not currently available to users. Expanding the feature to cover videos makes sense for Gemini, so we hope to see it rolled out soon. We'll keep you updated when we learn more. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Android Authority
5 days ago
- Android Authority
Gemini overlay tries out a new look with a splash of Google colors (APK teardown)
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR A teardown of the Google app's recent beta shows Gemini's overlay UI may soon adopt Google's brand colors. It replaces Gemini's current two-tone colors with Google's trademark red, blue, green, and yellow colors. The colors accent the mic button and highlight the chat box for interacting with Gemini. Google has gradually refined how Gemini appears over the past few months. The assistant's interface has become more polished, and more integrated, with features like the compact floating overlay and subtle animations. Now, Google appears to be testing another visual update, and it could make Gemini feel more like Google and less like a disembodied chatbot. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Digging into the new Google app beta release, we were able to get the app to give us an early look at a new visual treatment for Gemini's overlay. Rather than the muted two-tone colors in the current iteration, this version swaps them out for Google's brand palette of red, blue, green, and yellow. When you activate Gemini or use the Ask about screen feature, the overlay currently appears in muted colors that match the Gemini logo. These changes may soon show users a more vibrant UI, with colors framing the mic button, highlighting the interaction bar, and visually letting everyone know this is Google's AI at work. This update hints at more branding consolidation, a project Google has been working on for a while now. This helps bring more consistency across Google's products. It is a visual reminder that you are using Google Gemini, not another AI tool. These changes aren't live right now, and currently just seem to be something Google's evaluating internally. However, if and when it ships, expect a more colorful Gemini experience. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
