The Google Pixel 8 is about to get a long-awaited update

By Bryan M. Wolfe Updated May 31, 2024

A person holding the Google Pixel 8 showing the screen. — Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If you own a Google Pixel 8 or the recently released Google Pixel 8a, we have some good news for you. A Google Pixel 8 Pro feature is finally coming to your phone.

According to an APK teardown of Google’s AICore app by Android Authority, a new toggle for activating Gemini Nano on the two smartphones is present. Google also mentioned that Nano would be available on these phones through Developer Options, indicating a launch is coming sooner rather than later. This means users will likely need to activate it manually when Gemini Nano finally launches on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a.

Gemini Nano is Google DeepMind’s most efficient AI model. It was added to the Pixel 8 Pro through a software update in December, but has been missing from the other two Pixel 8 series phones.

From a features standpoint, Gemini Nano powers specific AI features such as Smart Reply in Gboard and Summarize in the Recorder app. It’s different from the Gemini chatbot that’s replacing Google Assistant.

Interestingly, Google’s initial plan was not to bring Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8. The company said the feature couldn’t operate on non-Pro Pixel 8 models because of hardware limitations. That stance quickly changed, which led to where we are today.

Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a users should soon receive a software update that includes Gemini Nano capabilities. We’ll let you know when this happens and tell you how to activate it on your phones.

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Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

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