Tech Desk 
Mar 04, 2025
Google has released a new update for its Gemini app, allowing iPhone users to access the AI chatbot directly from their lock screen.
This move comes when Apple's own AI-enabled Siri feature is reportedly facing delays until 2027, leaving space for competitors like Google to take the lead.
Gemini Live feature for iPhones
The new feature called “Gemini Live” enables users to interact with the AI chatbot in near real-time using voice commands, even before unlocking their iPhone.
How to access Gemini Live?
To access Gemini Live, iPhone users are required to add a Gemini widget to their phone’s lock screen.
The updated Gemini app also includes several other lock screen widgets, including one for taking pictures using the iPhone’s camera and uploading them, setting reminders, and jumping straight to a text chat with Gemini.
It should be noted that ChatGPT’s iOS app also allows iPhone users to access OpenAI’s near real-time voice feature, Advanced Voice Mode, directly from the lock screen.
Additionally, Google announced that later this month, Gemini users on Android will gain the ability to ask the AI chatbot questions about video and on-screen content, receiving answers in real time.
It should be noted that this feature is part of Project Astra, Google-owned DeepMind's multimodal AI project, and will initially be available to subscribers of the $20-per-month Gemini Advanced plan.
