Google’s Gemini AI found its way to Android devices earlier this year. Until recently, this feature was only supported on Android 12 or higher. According to a report by Android Police, Google has now discreetly updated the most recent version of Gemini for Android, v1.0.626720042, to be included in Android 10 and 11, making the chatbot available to a good majority of Android users.
With the latest update, millions of users who continue to use old phones can now access Gemini. Users of Android 10 and Android 11 were previously limited to using the AI chatbot online. After installation, Google Gemini will replace the company’s feature-rich Google Assistant; however, some queries are still handled by the AI chatbot using the old digital assistant.
Google switched out its Google Assistant app in February for the Android smartphone app Gemini AI. However, the program was limited to Android 12 and higher versions. With its most recent update, Google informed users that the Gemini app is compatible with both Android 10 and Android 11 in the Play Store’s minimum system requirements section.
The change was first spotted on Twitter/X by @isumantadas. Tests conducted by Artem Russakovskii from Android Police and 9To5Google confirm that Gemini is fully functional on phones running Android 10 and 11, with an experience that is identical to that of a more recent device.
This is a major decision by Google, in part because both operating systems are still very well-liked. Currently, 8.82% and 16.57% of all Android installs worldwide are on Android 10 and 11, respectively. That means that the newest AI technology from Google is now available on millions of devices.
The Gemini update has not yet been verified by Google. However, it is being speculated that the company will be silent on the matter until the I/O Conference in May when a number of Gemini announcements are likely to be made.
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