Google’s Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to “help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who’ve received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices.
is gemini on all androids? i remember there once was something called bixby, now when i accidentally hold the home button for too long it tells me to enable “circle”. i’ve disabled all of those “smart” features but fuck knows what is going to get automatically installed in an update next week
Bixby is/was Samsung’s assistant thing. Unrelated to Google’s Gemini
Bixby is, or used to be, on Samsung phones.
Gemini replaced Bitchxby on the latest Samsungs.
It’s in the firmware.
With the S25 series they even give you a year of full subscription.
They made it the centrepiece of the launch event of the product line.
The Samsung’s front is called “Galaxy AI” but Gemini runs every new feature really - including “cross-apps actions”.
(The non-obsolete Bixby features retained the name but are part of Galaxy AI now.)
But even with everything off One UI 7 (and Samsung apps, like camera) is still littered with AI buttons.
youtube.com/HinL5jCy_oI&t=1270
(Gemini is now the default action for long-pressing the power button)