Google hopes to integrate Gemini into iPhones with iOS 19
iOS 19, coming this fall, could bring support for AI models from Google’s Gemini chatbot to boost the Apple Intelligence features on the iPhone, iPad and Mac.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is currently the only external partner taking more complex generative AI requests from Siri and other Apple Intelligence features, like AI image and text creation. But that could change with this fall’s release of iOS 19, the next major software update for the iPhone.
iOS 19 could allow Apple Intelligence to use Google’s Gemini as a user-selectable option. The search giant apparently hopes to reach an official deal with Apple in time for iOS 19’s big reveal during a June 9 keynote at the company’s upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
iOS 19 could integrate Google Gemini into Apple Intelligence
The revelation came in a federal antitrust trial on April 29, when Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified that the Gemini family of AI models, developed by Alphabet’s DeepMind unit, could be used in upcoming versions of iOS, iPadOS and macOS.
“Google hopes to enter an agreement with Apple by the middle of this year to include its Gemini AI technology on new phones,” Reuters reported. Bloomberg added more detail:
During the court proceedings, Pichai said he is hopeful that Gemini, which competes with ChatGPT, will be added as an additional AI option on Apple products. Pichai said he held a series of conversations with Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook across 2024 and he hopes to have a deal done by the middle of this year.
Gemini could bring new AI features to Apple Intelligence, such as reasoning and suggestions based on user behavior. It can also perform actions across apps, such as adding an event to a calendar based on the contents of one or more emails, but Apple is unlikely to support such deep integration for Gemini in iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and macOS 16. Gemini could also improve natural conversations with Siri.
According to Pichai, he discussed Gemini’s potential with Apple CEO Tim Cook in several meetings throughout 2024. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported on one of those meetings in March 2024, saying Cook and Pichai discussed using Gemini to power some of the generative AI features in the then-unreleased iOS 18 software.
In addition to Gemini on the web, Google also offers a standalone Gemini iPhone app. As a result, Gemini features are no longer available in the official Google mobile app.
