Google's Gemini AI Assistant Arrives on Wear OS, Enhancing Smartwatch Capabilities

Google brings Gemini to Wear OS watches, adds AI Mode to Circle to Search | TechCrunch

Google announced on Wednesday that it's rolling out Gemini to Wear OS watches, nearly two months after teasing the move back in May. The tech giant is also adding new Circle to Search capabilities by integrating its AI Mode search experience directly into the feature and adding support for gaming-related queries. Gemini is rolling out to watches from Pixel, Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, and Xiaomi that are running Wear OS 4+ over the coming weeks, the company says. The announcement is part of Google's plans to replace Google Assistant with Gemini across all of its devices and platforms. To start talking to Gemini, users need to say "Hey Google," press and hold the side button on their watch, or tap on the Gemini app icon on their watch screen. Users will be able to ask Gemini questions like, "For how long should I roast sliced vegetables, and at what temperature?" when busy cooking with messy hands. Or, a user could ask, "Do I need an umbrella today?" when heading out the door. Additionally, users can utilize Gemini to complete tasks across multiple apps. For example, a user could ask Gemini to "Summarize my last email from Emily" or "Add my son's next five baseball games to my calendar." Google notes that users can ask Gemini to remember important details such as "Remember I parked on level 4, spot 27" or "Remind me to go grocery shopping after work." As for the new Circle to Search capabilities, Google says it's making it easier to explore information to get quick help. Launched last year, Circle to Search allows users to initiate a Google search by circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping on something they see on their screen. Now, users will be able to use AI Mode's advanced reasoning to dig into complex topics and ask follow-up questions, all without switching apps. After starting a search with Circle to Search, an AI Overview will appear in the results. From there, users can scroll to the bottom and tap "dive deeper with AI Mode" to ask follow-up questions and explore more about the visual search. The company is also making it easier to use AI Mode in Google Lens, as it's now available through the Google app on both Android and iOS. The capability is now available in the U.S. and India. In addition, Google says users can now use Circle to Search when gaming on mobile. For example, you could leverage Circle to Search to identify a new character or find a winning strategy when playing a game. Google also announced that it's making AI Overviews more helpful, as responses are now better formatted and easier to read. The tech giant notes that AI Overviews now break down key information and include more visuals.

Your Smartwatch Is About to Get More Productive Thanks to Gemini AI

Your smartwatch is about to get a lot more productive. For the first time, Google is bringing its Gemini AI assistant to your wrist. The company announced the news on Wednesday during Samsung's Unpacked event, where Samsung also unveiled its new Galaxy Watch 8 series of smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic will be the first to debut with Gemini built-in right out of the box, but it's also headed to newer Pixel watches, the OnePlus Watch 3, as well as Oppo and Xiaomi smartwatches later this month. Gemini on Wear OS is designed to handle voice commands more naturally than older assistants, so you can speak casually and not have to resort to more robotic phrasing or have to constantly repeat commands. In practice, this makes for an assistant that's faster, more conversational and that generally feels closer to a human than previous digital assistants. I visited Google's New York City headquarters for a live demo of Gemini in action across a few different smartwatches, including models from Oppo, Google and Samsung. I was impressed by how well it handled long, stream-of-consciousness questions without missing a beat. For example, I asked for "that famous bridge shot in Brooklyn that's all over social media," and Gemini immediately pulled up the right landmark. From there, I just said, "show me photos," and it displayed images of the bridge without having to repeat its name. A simple "take me there" command then brought up directions automatically. What really stood out, though, was how Gemini handled on-screen results. Where past assistants often stopped at partial answers or kicked you to a website, Gemini summarized the information out loud in a natural-sounding voice. I didn't even have to glance at the watch. It also handled more complex tasks, like researching how long to cook a soft-boiled egg, which it automatically set a timer for. Gemini also streamlined messaging. Instead of the typical multi-step process -- pulling up contacts, dictating a message, then confirming -- it handled everything with a single command. In one demo, a tester asked Gemini to "find trendy Korean restaurants in New York and text Laura in Korean to see if they want to join." Gemini completed the entire task, even composing the message in Korean. While I couldn't personally verify the translation, the tester confirmed it was accurate. Even though this is Gemini's first step into smartwatches, it's already been a major presence on phones for the past year. On supported Android phones, the AI assistant can handle everything from drafting messages, summarizing emails and managing smart home devices to more advanced features like image generation, AI-powered photo editing and even writing code. In many cases, it can work in the background to offer proactive suggestions based on what you're doing on your device. On Wear OS, Gemini still processes requests via the cloud, so it needs a stable internet connection whether that's through your phone, Wi-Fi or LTE. If you're offline, you won't be able to use it. The goal here is to free you up from having to pull out your phone and do more from just your wrist. Gemini will debut on the new Galaxy Watches, with the broader rollout to other devices coming in the next few weeks via automatic update for any Android smartwatch running Wear OS 4 or later, as long as it's paired with a phone that's running Gemini AI.

Google's powerful Gemini assistant is finally coming to the Pixel Watch and Wear OS

Gemini will also come to existing smartwatches from brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus via an update that will likely replace the current Google Assistant app. When Google unveiled its Gemini assistant at the end of 2023, it was clear that the older Google Assistant's days were numbered. With Google staking its future on the success of its new AI, it was only a matter of time. While the company quickly brought Gemini to phones and computers, it held off on a smartwatch rollout until the experience was properly optimized. That wait is now over. At Google I/O in May, the company announced Gemini for Wear OS, and starting today, it's finally rolling out to supported smartwatches, with the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series getting first dibs.

Gemini Is Finally Replacing Google Assistant on the Pixel Watch

6 Things You Can Do With Your Samsung Phone's USB Port (Besides Charging) Summary Gemini to replace Google Assistant on Pixel Watch, remembering things, creating playlists, and more tasks. Pixel 9 Pro owners get a free Google AI Pro subscription, unlocking Veo 3 for high-quality videos. Circle to Search gets AI Mode, in-game help for gamers, and follow-up questions on circled items. We've been getting ready for Gemini to replace Google Assistant for a while now, and it's finally starting to happen. Google is also giving free AI video tools to Pixel 9 Pro owners, and Circle to Search is getting updates. Gemini on Your Wrist If you own a Pixel Watch, it's time to say goodbye to Google Assistant. After months of preparation, Gemini is finally coming to Wear OS. The experience shouldn't be hugely different than before. Google highlights the ability of Gemini to remember things for you, like your parking spot, create playlists in YouTube Music based on prompts, and do more complex tasks like asking about things referenced in your emails. We don't know the precise rollout timeline, Google simply said "it will be rolling out to all Pixel Watch owners." Close Pixel 9 Pro Users Get Free Veo 3 For those sporting a Pixel 9 Pro, there's another perk on the way. Google is adding a full year of the Google AI Pro subscription at no cost for Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL owners. This unlocks some of the more cutting-edge features within Gemini, including Veo 3. This tool lets you describe your idea in text and then watch it come to life as a high-quality, short video. Veo 3 can also generate natural audio to go along with your creation. Related Google's Veo 3 Video Generator Could Turn Kickstarter Into a Minefield AI-generated video has gone from nightmare-fuel, to an imaginary Will Smith creepily eating spaghetti, to "is that AI?" in a very short amount of time. Now, with the release of Google's Veo 3 video generation system to the public, the technology has experienced a significant jump in both ease of use and accuracy. Posts 1 Circle to Search Updates Circle to Search may have already changed how you look up information on our screen, but Google is continuing to tweak it. Unsurprisingly, it's now getting an "AI Mode," just like Google Search. Available in the U.S. and India, AI Mode allows you to ask follow-up questions about anything you've circled. But maybe even more exciting for gamers is the new in-game help feature within Circle to Search. Are you stuck on a tough level in a mobile game or trying to figure out the next move in a puzzle? Now, you can simply circle something on your screen while playing, and Circle to Search will pull up helpful articles and videos. These resources are timestamped to your exact spot in the game, so you're not wasting time sifting through irrelevant information. Source: Google (1, 2) Related How to Google Search by Circling or Tapping Objects on Your Screen Google is a company that has its eggs in many baskets, but first and foremost, it is a search company. That's why it offers so many different ways to do a Google Search. You can type a query, import images, scan your surroundings, and even hum a song. It's also possible to simply circle stuff on your Android phone's screen to search for it. Posts

You can finally talk to Gemini using your Wear OS watch starting today

Gemini is finally coming to Wear OS. Google's announced that its AI chatbot is making its way to smartwatches from Google itself, Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, and Xiaomi, bringing better natural language understanding and more flexible and helpful replies right to your wrist. Google's newest assistant has been available through both a mobile app and a desktop web interface since early last year, but has been notably absent from other platforms. The company announced in May that it was working to bring Gemini to more device types, and according to today's announcement, it's making good on part of that promise. Gemini is coming to Wear OS watches beginning today, including Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch devices. According to Google, Gemini on Wear OS will work the same as it does in existing Gemini interfaces. You can get answers to complicated questions (Google gives the example of asking how to roast sliced vegetables), take actions within apps (sending texts, creating playlists), and more. You can even get summaries of info within your apps, like emails and texts -- a hallmark AI function that actually makes sense in the context of a smartwatch. In April, we heard that Google was cooking up a new raise-to-speak gesture on Wear OS that would let you talk to your on-wrist assistant by simply raising your watch to your mouth and speaking. That feature isn't part of this announcement; you'll access Gemini on your watch by pressing and holding a button or saying Hey Google. Related Gemini can't come to Google's smart speakers soon enough If I hear one more 'Sorry, I didn't understand'... Posts 20 Rollout starts today, continues 'over the coming weeks' Source: Google I'm happy to see Gemini finally hitting wearables. The way you have to communicate with the legacy Google Assistant is much more specific and less natural than how you can talk to Gemini, and with the latter available on some devices but not others, it can be frustrating to have your watch answer your Hey Google commands answered differently in different contexts. Google says that this update is starting today on Wear OS watches running Wear OS 4 or newer. It may be a while before you get Gemini on your own wrist, though: the rollout is set to progress "over the coming weeks."

Say Goodbye to Google Assistant on Your Smartwatch

Are you ready to say goodbye to the Google Assistant on your Android smartwatch? Google's been laying the groundwork for replacing the Assistant with Gemini for months, and it's finally happening. The transition started with the Pixel Watch, and now more WearOS devices are getting Gemini. Last week, Google started replacing Assistant with Gemini on the Pixel Watch. The company has continuously said that its old Assistant will slowly disappear on phones, tablets, watches, cars, and other smart devices. Then, it started stripping away features, and now those changes are creeping onto our wrists. Following the short rollout for the Pixel Watch, we're now seeing Gemini hit a wave of Wear OS devices from other manufacturers. Related RIP: Google Assistant Will Be Fully Replaced by Gemini Later This Year The original Google Assistant will soon be dead. Posts 3 If you have a smartwatch running Wear OS 5 or older from manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and others, you're in for some big changes to your virtual Assistant. Several people in Reddit forum posts have confirmed the rollout, with owners either automatically getting Gemini or seeing an update for the app on the Wear OS Play Store. Once the update hits your watch, you'll get a notification about Google's new AI Assistant being available on your wrist. As we explained back in April, you can talk or interact with Gemini by tapping the button on the side of your watch or by using the usual "Hey Google" hot word -- as long as voice commands are enabled and set up for your watch. Additionally, owners can fire up Google's Gemini tool by tapping the app icon on that tiny screen, a Tile, or by setting it up as a shortcut complication on certain customizable watch faces. That said, when you're adding Gemini as an action, it may be labeled as "Google" or "Google Digital Assistant" instead of Gemini, but once you see the sparkle star icon, you'll know it's the right one. Interestingly enough, multiple people on Reddit mentioned that they still had access to the old-school Assistant, even after updating the app to Gemini. However, there's a good chance that it's only temporary, as Google's still slowly rolling out Gemini to more devices. Once the process is closer to being complete, or whenever Google decides to, it'll likely disable Assistant on the backend. It's worth noting that the overall experience should change too much, but expect improvements. Gemini should deliver an improved experience throughout, especially with reminders, tasks, playing music, and all sorts of other prompts. Google highlights how Gemini can quickly remember your parking spot, create and start playlists, recognize songs, and do a bunch of complex tasks instantly without making you pull out your phone. We expect Google to refine and improve Gemini over time. Remember that while Gemini for Wear OS is rolling out to more people this week, it'll be a slow and staggered rollout. If you're not seeing the update yet, be patient, as it should arrive shortly. Source: 9to5Google

Google is rolling out Gemini to more Wear OS smartwatches -- here's what it brings and whether your device is eligible

Google is making sure its Gemini AI is slowly but surely embedded across its entire software suite. That means that along with seeing it appear in Chrome browsers, Android Auto infotainment systems and Nest home devices, it's also coming to your wrist with Wear OS. Samsung's brand new Galaxy Watch 8, unveiled last week at Samsung Unpacked, is one of the first to wearables to debut with Gemini built-in. But Google followed the announcement up with confirmation Gemini would be rolling out to other Wear OS devices in the "coming weeks". It didn't take long as we now have confirmation (via 9to5Google) that devices from the likes of OnePlus, Mobvoi and OPPO are starting to see Gemini become available. The only stipulation is a smartwatch needs to be running at least Wear OS 4 to upgrade to Gemini. So, if you're rocking a OnePlus Watch 2 or a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for example, you should be good to go. Eligible Wear OS watch owners can find Gemini by navigating to the Play Store on your watch, scroll down to Manage apps and find the update labeled "Google Gemini on Wear OS". Gemini effectively replaces the Google Assistant (R.I.P) and lets you execute a ton of functionality from your wrist without having to use your hands. Which is super helpful if your hands are full because you're cycling, cooking or carrying something. To enable Gemini, use the "Hey Google" wake command or -- on some devices -- you can press and hold the side button to fire it up. Because it's baked into the OS, it will interact with certain apps. So, for example, you can ask it to give you a heads-up on what the weather is doing that day or if you have any appointments in your calendar coming up. However, what really sets it apart is the ability to work across your apps simultaneously and avoid multiple steps. For example, if you're on a bike ride, you can ask Gemini to send a message to a contact, dictate the message and have it sent without needing to exit away from or interrupt your workout. Here's a couple of other use cases and some prompts to try for Gemini on Wear OS: Of course, Gemini has much more functionality in other areas and if you're a Google power user then you'll want to familiarize yourself with what it can do. Check out 5 smart ways to use Gemini Live with your phone right now and how to use Google Gemini to summarize a YouTube video. And if you want to write smarter prompts in Gemini, here's 5 tips to get better results.

Gemini is coming to your Wear OS smartwatch

Starting today, Gemini , your personal AI assistant from Google, begins rolling out to Wear OS watches, including those from Pixel, Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus and Xiaomi. Using the same advanced AI models that make Gemini so helpful on your phone, you'll now have a consistent, smart assistant right on your wrist. This means a more natural, intelligent and capable way to manage tasks and access information, without needing to take out your phone. To start talking with Gemini, simply say "Hey Google ," press and hold the side button on your watch, or tap on the Gemini app icon on your watch screen. Here are a few new ways you can now get help from Gemini on your watch: Gemini on Wear OS lets you speak naturally with your watch, understanding your speech patterns and delivering fast, concise responses right on your wrist. Just speak, glance and get what you need. Give these a try:

Goodbye, Google Assistant: Gemini Arrives on Your Wear OS Watch

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. Google announced today that Gemini is now rolling out to Wear OS watches from several brands, so the end of Google Assistant is near. We knew this day was coming following an initial announcement of the switch back at Google I/O in May. Gemini on Wear OS: To start, Gemini on Wear OS will rollout to watches made by Google, Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, and Xiaomi. The new Galaxy Watch 8 series will be the first to feature Gemini out of the box. Watches will need to be running Wear OS 4+ in order to be eligible. If you watch runs Wear OS 6, there will be support for Gemini with your watch brand's own apps too. To activate Gemini on Wear OS, you'll simply say "Hey Google" as you used to with Google Assistant. You could also activate it with the press of a side button on the watch or by tapping the Gemini app on your watch. What can you do with Gemini on Wear OS that's new? Since this is Gemini and should be a more powerful AI companion than Google Assistant, you'll be able to ask more complex questions or those that might need to look into app history to find exactly what you need. Google offers the following examples of those types of situations: The other way you'll take advantage of a more powerful Gemini assistant is through the apps you have that it can work with. For example, you could ask it to summarize emails from a contact, add an entire baseball schedule to your calendar, or ask for specific addresses to appointments. Gemini can find all of this info from emails or conversations you've had in other Google apps. Finally, Gemini has a pretty powerful memory that you can use to have it remind you of events, tasks, etc. It'll remember specifics on a parking spot, to go grocery shopping "after work," and more. Again, all of that can now be done with your Wear OS watch. But here's what you really need to try - the simple day-to-day tasks that Google Assistant was at one time so good at. Let us know how those go.

Gemini AI Arrives for More Samsung Watches - Phandroid

Google's push to integrate its Gemini AI onto as many smart devices as possible is still going strong, most recently rolling out to to its Pixel Watch models. That being said, Samsung Galaxy Watch users will also start receiving the Gemini assistant app, although there's a big catch. More specifically, only Samsung Galaxy Watches running Samsung's One UI 8 Watch version (based on Wear OS 6) will be able to support the Google Gemini app. A report from the folks over at Sammobile even showed that the Gemini app refused to work when installed on a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, as it's not running on Wear OS 6. READ: Is Samsung's Galaxy Watch8 Series Enough to Win Back Wear OS Fans? It's important to note that Samsung did confirm that it was bringing over One UI 8 Watch for the Galaxy Watch 4 series, so folks who are still using Watch 4 models will hopefully get Wear OS 6 soon. Of course, if you're looking to upgrade from a four-year-old wearable, then you might want to check out the new Galaxy Watch8 series, which comes with newer hardware and software features.

Google is expanding Gemini features to the Pixel Watch and Pixel phones - Phandroid

Google is rolling out a new wave of Gemini AI features, and this time, it's not just about Pixel phones. The Gemini AI Pixel update is coming to Pixel Watch users as well, turning the smartwatch into a more capable, on-wrist assistant. Whether you're asking for directions, drafting a quick text, or getting a reminder, Gemini can now handle it straight from your wrist, powered by Wear OS. On the phone side, things get even more interesting. Pixel 9 Pro users are getting a free year of the Google AI Pro subscription, unlocking access to Veo 3. This is Google's new AI-powered video generation tool. Just describe an idea in plain language, and Veo turns it into a short, high-quality video with realistic audio. You don't need to be a video editor or even open an app. It's a clear attempt by Google to show off the creative potential of Gemini on mobile devices. Another part of the update focuses on Circle to Search. Google is expanding its capabilities with something called AI Mode. Now, after circling something on your screen, you can go deeper and ask follow-up questions. You can look up more info and keep the context. Also, for gamers, there's a new feature that brings in-game help right where you need it. You can now get walkthroughs, guides, and video tutorials matched to the exact moment you're stuck in a mobile game, all without leaving the app. Google hasn't given an exact release date, but the rollout is happening "soon." If you're using a recent Pixel Watch or Pixel phone, you won't need to do anything, just make sure your device is up to date.

Your Android smartwatch is getting a productivity boost with Gemini AI

Google's Gemini is making its debut on smartwatches. It's coming to Galaxy Watch 8 first followed by more devices Your Android smartwatch is about to get a serious productivity upgrade. For the first time, Google's Gemini AI is making its way to your wrist. Announced during Samsung's Unpacked event, Gemini will debut on the newly launched Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic built-in right out of the box. But it's not stopping there. The update is also rolling out to newer Pixel Watches, the upcoming OnePlus Watch 3, and select models from Oppo and Xiaomi later this month. In case our readers aren't aware. Gemini is Google's advanced, multimodal AI model, designed to understand and generate various types of data including text, code, images, audio, and video. It's generally integrated into smartphones now with shortcut keys and even a dedicated app icon trigger. Gemini on Wear OS is built to understand you more naturally no need for robotic commands or repeating yourself. You can speak casually, and it just gets it. The result is an assistant that feels quicker, more intuitive, and much more human-like compared to earlier versions. According to Vanessa Hand Oralena from Cnet, Gemini on smart watch surprised her with the on screen results. Keep in mind Gemini still relies on a cloud connection. So whether it's through your phone, Wi-Fi, or LTE, it needs internet to function. If you're offline, Gemini stays quiet. The AI rollout will begin with the Galaxy Watch 8 series and expand to other smartwatches in the coming weeks. As long as your watch runs Wear OS 4+ and is paired with a Gemini-enabled Android phone, the update will arrive automatically.