▼ Summary
– Google is making its advanced AI feature, Gemini Live, free for all Android users via the Gemini app.
– Initially, Gemini Live was limited to high-end devices and required a Gemini Advanced subscription.
– Google’s decision to offer Gemini Live for free was influenced by positive user feedback.
– Gemini Live allows users to use their phone’s camera or screen recording to get real-time information and assistance.
– The rollout of the free feature starts today and coincides with Microsoft’s similar move to offer its Copilot Vision feature for free.
Google is removing the price tag from one of its more advanced AI features. The company announced today that Gemini Live, which allows the Gemini AI assistant to understand and respond to input from a phone’s camera or screen recording, will be available for free to all Android users via the Gemini app. This reverses an earlier plan to restrict the feature to paying subscribers.
From Paid Plan to Free Access
Gemini Live officially debuted earlier this month, initially limited to users of specific high-end devices like the (yet-to-be-released) Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25. At that time, Google indicated the feature would eventually reach all Android users but would require a Gemini Advanced subscription. However, the company has shifted strategy. “We’ve been hearing great feedback on Gemini Live with camera and screen share, so we decided to bring it to more people,” Google stated, explaining the decision to offer it freely. The capability allows users to point their camera at objects or scenes – like fish in an aquarium, as shown in a demo video – and have Gemini provide information or context in real-time conversation. Similarly, it can observe screen activity to offer assistance.
Competitive Landscape and Rollout
The rollout of the free Gemini Live feature began yesterday and will continue “over the coming weeks” for Android users with the Gemini app installed. This move makes Google’s visual AI interaction tool more broadly accessible, potentially increasing its adoption and usage. Interestingly, this announcement coincides with Microsoft making its comparable feature, Copilot Vision, available for free within its Edge browser. Offering these sophisticated visual interaction tools without a subscription fee appears to be becoming a competitive necessity in the rapidly evolving AI assistant market, giving users more powerful capabilities directly on their devices.
(Source: The Verge)
