this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2024
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Google is on a determined mission to make Gemini an indispensable part of our daily routines. With deeper integrations into popular apps like Spotify and the Pixel 9 series shipping with Gemini as the default assistant, it’s clear that Google has ambitious plans for its AI model.

The tech giant has been strategically enhancing Gemini’s functionality with new extensions. After adding extensions for Google apps like Keep, Tasks, and Calendar, along with YouTube and YouTube Music, recent findings suggest even more exciting additions are on the horizon.

An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.

In the Google app version 15.34.32.29.arm64 beta, we could enable the toggles for new Gemini extensions for WhatsApp, Google Messages, and Android system notifications. While they aren’t working just yet, their official descriptions provide a glimpse into what they might offer.

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[–] [email protected] 41 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Knowing about prompt injections, I really don't like the growing integration of LLM inside real applications

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Unless it's all local I'm staying out of this AI craze.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I agree. Though even if it's running locally, if you ask it to browse the web for a specific answer it's still vulnerable

[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

One of the things I initially liked about Pixels was that I could uninstall/disable a lot of the proprietary garbage that would be mandatory on other phones. But now it looks like Google is abandoning that flexibility in favour of shoehorning Gemini into everything.

My only interaction with Gemini so far was telling it to kick rocks when it sent me an unsolicited text message. I also barely use Assistant to begin with. So once my current phone dies, I guess I'll have to find something new.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 months ago

Don't worry in a year or two they'll have a competing Ai assistant and break any functionality of Gemini and leave everything half baked on the new one

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Well, one of the great things about Pixels is that you can install an alternative OS (I use GrapheneOS) that doesn't come with that crap anyway. I use GrapheneOS, and it has none of Google's crap. I made a separate profile for the handful of apps that require Google stuff (a couple work apps), and I only access it for less than a minute at a time, and those apps (Google Play Services) have no access to the device's storage that they don't strictly need (hooray storage scopes!).

The ironic thing is that I use Google's phone specifically to avoid Google.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I did similar, I needed a new phone so I picked pixel so I could use GrapheneOS continue the process of degoogling my life.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Did you at least get a dikpic?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Nah, just the sad message of "Pretty please love me (because we sunk a bunch of money into this)."

[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 months ago

Oh yeah the same "ai" that can't tell who factually won the 2020 election.

Nice try big data.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I switched back to assistant, because Gemini still can't do everything I am using the assistant for

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Plus no alternative voices....what the hell?

[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 months ago (3 children)

I do not want this on my device at all. What are my options for my next phone that will replace my aging pixel 6 that won't include Gemini?

[–] [email protected] 28 points 2 months ago (1 children)

a newer Pixel phone with GrapheneOS or CalyxOS installed on it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (3 children)

If I could keep the good camera with Graphene, I'd be set.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

You can still install the Google camera app alongside the GrapheneOS camera app. Double tapping power button still takes you to the built in camera (but you at least have the option of either app). https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.GoogleCamera

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

you should be able to change the camera app launched when double pressing the power button.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

On CalyxOS my double press opens the Google Camera. I think because I disabled the default camera app.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago (6 children)

I agree that you should be able to change which app opens with double tap. But AFAICT you cannot on GrapheneOS build 2024082200. Someone please enlighten me, if you know a way.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I'm on the most recent GrapheneOS with both the Google Camera app and the Graphene camera app installed and enabled, and can confirm the double tap of the power button can be set to open the Google Camera app! Downside is I have no idea how I did it 😅

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

The camera app is just called Google camera on the play store. It works on Calyx with no internet permission so I assume it works on graphene.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

I use Google's camera app on GrapheneOS. Have been for years. No problems at all, though I wish the camera app included with GrapheneOS wasn't so annoying to use by comparison

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

A Fairphone with /e/OS would do.

I don't currently run /e/OS on mine - for now I've just disabled the Google app instead. But it's a solid option, and last time I used it my banking apps and everything worked with no problem.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Or install an alternative ROM that doesn't ship with the AI stuff.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Like hell it will, not on my phone

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Yeah, I don't have it installed, and I actively block/quarantine anything vaguely Google-related. Screw 'em.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Ew on both accounts

Ill stick to Signal thanks

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

They control the OS that's storing your encryption key and decrypting your signal messages. You still have to trust one of the leaders in surveillance capitalism to not "accidentally" capture all the data they assure you they aren't capturing.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Why? Alternative ROMs exist.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Check out GrapheneOS. Relevant to your concerns.

grapheneos.org

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Seems like a cool idea but, so far with Gemini on my Pixel, I hate that I can't tell what's on device and what's in the cloud and I ended up uninstalling it. I'm not sure Google needs to know more about me than they already do.

Supposedly the phone can run local models but I've only seen it in the recorder app, which isn't really that useful, especially after all of the hype around Tensor, AICore and Gemini Nano.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

Well, it's expensive technology to develop, and there's no other business model behind it than surveillance. So I think it's fair to expect the surveillance part of it to be difficult to neutralise.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'm not sure Google needs to know more about me than they already do.

But then why would they want to give you Gemini if not for your data

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They sold me a device and want me to buy another.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I doubt they sell Pixel devices to profit from the hardware sale, they sell them to push the market in the direction they want, as well as to hoover up your data.

So instead of playing their game, I just installed GrapheneOS the day I got my Pixel, and it's been fantastic.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Part of what I've hoped about Gemini is that Google would actually take advantage of its Cloud infrastructure and build Gemini in a way that makes it truly cross-platform compared to the Google Assistant with a consistent set of features across the web, the speaker, and anywhere else they choose to cram Gemini into.

Instead they choose to channel everything through WhatsApps Android app.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Didn't they say that about Google assistant some time ago? And how many people just disable that on their devices?

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