Google Gemini Live takes on Siri via a standalone iOS app

Google is increasing the competition with Siri and Apple Intelligence on iPhone, by releasing a standalone iOS app for Gemini.

Google's Gemini has been available to use for some time on the iPhone, but as part of the main Google app. Now, Gemini is available as its own standalone app for iOS, and is being framed even more as a personal AI assistant.

In an official blog post, Google explains that the app offers something called Gemini Live, a version of the assistant offering "free-flowing conversations." Using Live, users can have a back-and-forth conversation with Gemini, complete with the ability to interrupt mid-response, or to pause a conversation to pick it up later.

Gemini Live is available to Gemini Advanced subscribers, initially on Android devices and in English, with expansion to iOS and other languages anticipated within weeks.

Google is also making Gemini available with ten new voices, so users can select the tone and style of speech for their needs.

Google is also expanding the capabilities of Gemini to work with other Google apps and services. Building on its existing Gmail access, new extensions in the coming weeks will connect to Keep, Tasks, Utilities, Calendar, and some expanded features of YouTube Music.

The Gemini app itself is free to download. Gemini Advanced is priced at $19.99 per month, and includes 2TB of storage and other Google One Premium benefits.

While Gemini Live is a play to attract power users who demand enhanced responses from digital assistants, it still has to compete against Apple's ongoing improvements in the form of Apple Intelligence. As part of the changes, Apple is improving Siri itself, as well as integrating access to ChatGPT.