Google removes Pixel Studio in latest app update
▼ Summary
– Google is shutting down the Pixel Studio app with version 2.3, directing users to Gemini and Nano Banana for image generation.
– The app, launched on Pixel 9 series, allowed AI image generation from prompts, including existing images and stickers.
– Google had previously removed parts of the app, but v2.3 fully disables it, showing only an “Open Gemini” button.
– Existing user creations remain in the app, as Google hinted.
– The update is rolling out slowly, with Android Authority obtaining an APK showing the app’s disabled state.
Google is pulling the plug on its AI-powered Pixel Studio app less than two years after launch, redirecting users to Gemini and Nano Banana for all image generation needs.
As confirmed to 9to5Google in February, the latest Pixel Studio v2.3 update effectively kills the app. Rolling out now, it replaces the familiar interface with a single “Open Gemini” button that links to the Play Store. A message above reads: “To create images and animations, try Nano Banana in the Gemini app.” Existing creations remain accessible, as Google previously hinted.
Pixel Studio was a dedicated AI image generation tool. Users typed prompts to create quick images, stored in an in-app library. Prompts could include existing photos or generate stickers instead of standard images. The app debuted on the Pixel 9 series, initially stumbling before Google refined it with updates that added Gboard integration, people generation, and generative AI editing tools.
Google began stripping out Pixel Studio features in its prior update, but v2.3 finishes the job. The rollout appears gradual; early reports from Android Authority, which obtained the APK, show the app in its disabled state. The main generation interface is gone, replaced by the redirect prompt.
For those holding out hope, the shift is final. Google is consolidating its AI image tools under the Gemini umbrella, with Nano Banana handling animation and creation duties moving forward.
(Source: 9to5google.com)
