Google has announced a sweeping set of Android and Gemini AI upgrades at its annual “Android Show” ahead of the Google I/O developer conference, headlined by a new on-device AI system called Gemini Intelligence.
Gemini Intelligence is designed to automate everyday smartphone tasks including filling forms, shopping assistance and managing apps. Google said the system will also enable customised widgets, smarter voice typing and improved cross-device connectivity. The capabilities will be exposed through Android’s existing surfaces — home screens, the Chrome browser, and Google’s voice and assistant layers — rather than as a separate app.
Android Auto received parallel upgrades, including enhanced 3D Google Maps navigation, expanded entertainment features and deeper Gemini integration inside vehicles. New file-sharing tools, expanded screen-time management options and AI-powered functions within Chrome on Android were also previewed.
Google said most of the announced features will be available as free Android software updates over coming months. Some advanced AI capabilities, however, are expected to be limited to newer premium hardware — including upcoming Google Pixel models and Samsung Galaxy flagship devices.
The announcements landed days before Google I/O proper opens in Mountain View, California. The conference is Google’s flagship annual developer event and a closely watched signal of how AI capabilities are being woven into consumer software at scale.
For Sri Lanka’s smartphone market — overwhelmingly Android-led — the free-update tier will reach existing handsets, while the premium-tier AI features will sit behind the higher-priced Pixel and Galaxy ranges that retail through local distributors. The rollout coincides with continuing legal and competitive battles among AI majors, including the Musk-OpenAI trial in San Francisco.
