The Gemini app by Google for iOS and iPadOS now includes several lock screen widgets that make accessing various AI assistant functions easier (and faster). As noted by 9to5Google, the latest update has added six widgets, each allowing direct access to a specific Gemini feature.
It seems the company is making a deliberate effort to steer iPhone and iPad users away from Siri—or at least encourage them to use Gemini instead of OpenAI’s ChatGPT when they want to interact with a large language model. Recently, Google has also started advertising Gemini on tech podcasts dedicated to Apple.
All of this is happening against the backdrop of Apple’s slow progress in developing a smarter and more powerful Siri capable of competing with leading modern AI platforms. Over the weekend, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reported that a truly modernized Siri is likely still a few years away. So if you’re Google, this push to introduce users to Gemini makes perfect sense. Apple itself may even offer Gemini as another resource for Apple Intelligence in the coming months.
As for the widgets, here’s what each of them does, according to Google:
- Enter a prompt: Stuck on a question? Type anything right now.
- Talk Live: Discuss things or brainstorm out loud with Gemini.
- Open microphone: Quickly open the mic to set reminders, create calendar events, and more.
- Use the camera: Take a photo of what’s in front of you and ask Gemini about it.
- Share an image: Select an image to get more information, create something new, or start a chat.
- Share a file: Use a file to share information or inspiration behind your question.
