Google urges iPhone users to switch to standalone Gemini app

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published February 19, 2025

Gemini app on iPhone. — Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends

Last fall, Google introduced a standalone Gemini app for iOS. At the same time, the AI assistant remained in the standalone Google app. That’s now changing. As 9to5Google first noted, Google is informing iOS users that it will remove Gemini support from the Google app. In doing so, it wants you to rely solely on the Gemini app.

In an email to iOS users, Google says: “We’re making some changes to create an even better Gemini experience on iOS. Gemini is now available as its own app, and that’s now the best place to use Gemini. To continue using Gemini, download the new Gemini app from the App Store. With the Gemini app, you’ll have access to all of the same features and more.”

Recommended Videos

Removing Gemini from the Google app doesn’t come as much of a surprise.

Before the standalone Gemini app was released, iOS users could easily switch between Google Search and Gemini within the Google app. However, in recent months, some of the newer Gemini features have been exclusive to the Gemini app and are no longer accessible through the Google app. A clear example is Gemini Live, which was never available in the Google app.

The iOS Gemini app allows users to interact with Gemini via text, voice, images, and the camera, offering support in various areas. It can be utilized to learn about new subjects, compose thank-you notes, organize events, and more. Furthermore, it integrates with other Google apps such as Gmail, Maps, and YouTube, simplifying task completion. The Gemini app for iOS is intended to be a flexible tool that can assist with various tasks ranging from simple to complex.

Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

Topics

Phones

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup could cost hundreds more this year

Samsung's next foldable comes with premium pricing pre-installed

Leaked render of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Samsung's next generation of foldable smartphones may arrive with significantly higher price tags than their predecessors. According to information shared by Roland Quandt of WinFuture, the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 8, and the Galaxy Watch 9 lineup are all expected to see price increases in Europe when they are unveiled later this month.

While flagship smartphones have steadily become more expensive over the past few years, the leaked pricing suggests Samsung could be taking another sizeable step upward, particularly for buyers opting for higher storage variants.

Phones

OxygenOS made OnePlus phones special. Now, it might go away forever

The Android skin that defined what a clean, fast phone could be is officially ending. ColorOS is what comes next.

Person holding OnePlus 15.

If you bought a OnePlus because of OxygenOS, for the relatively clean, fast, and actually-useful Android experience, your phone may be the last one to get it.

According to a report from the Indian outlet Smartprix, OxygenOS and Realme UI are both reportedly being phased out. If accurate, everything would move to ColorOS, the skin atop Android on Oppo smartphones, globally, across all three brands.

Phones

This flower identification app turns every walk into Pokémon Go for plants

flormie lets iPhone users scan flowers, save them as collectibles, and build a calmer kind of real-world collection game.

Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

A new flower identification app wants daily walks to feel a little more like Pokémon Go, only with fewer raids and far less public phone shouting.

flormie is an iPhone app built around a simple loop. Find a flower outside, scan it, and add it to a growing collection. That turns a normal walk into a low-pressure nature hunt, without pretending every sidewalk needs battle mechanics.