Google’s Gemini Live Now Free on Android

Google has announced that its Gemini Live feature, which initially launched exclusively for subscribers, is now available to a broader audience at no cost, starting from Thursday.

We’re excited to announce the rollout of Gemini Live in English to more users of the Android app for free. Go Live to engage in discussions with Gemini, dive into new topics, or brainstorm ideas! Keep an eye out for Gemini Live in the Gemini app 👀 pic.twitter.com/0VL0c7E6Gw

— Google Gemini App (@GeminiApp) September 12, 2024

Gemini Live serves as Google’s response to OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT. This feature empowers users to interact with the chatbot in real-time using spoken language, rather than typing text inputs.

To access Gemini Live, simply launch the Gemini app and tap the Sparkle icon located at the bottom right corner of the screen. After your conversation with the AI, you have the option to end the session by pressing the Stop button or by saying, “stop.” Following this, a transcript of your conversation will be generated and saved for future reference in your chat history.

However, it’s important to note that there are some restrictions. Currently, Gemini Live is available only to users who speak English and use the Android version of the app. It is not compatible with iOS devices or other Workspace applications like YouTube Music and Gmail, though support for these platforms is anticipated in the future.

In contrast, OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode is still in beta testing and has only been made accessible to a limited group of ChatGPT Plus subscribers. While OpenAI plans to extend this feature to all its subscribers, no specific timeline has been provided. Users interested in this feature will need to subscribe for $20 per month without guaranteed access to the rollout.

Both Google and OpenAI are exploring ways to integrate mobile device cameras into their voice chat functionalities, potentially allowing for enhanced multimodal interaction when responding to spoken queries. However, no exact release dates for these features have been announced by either company.

Interested in trying out Gemini Live? You can download the Gemini App from the Google Play Store.