Google Gemini is set to become a significantly better phone assistant thanks to these two small upgrades

Date:
Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Description:
Google Gemini's new app access options aren't something to be scared of; it's something to celebrate.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Google Gemini can more easily access your Phone and Messages apps Previously, you
had to allow Gemini Apps Activity, reducing your privacy That's no longer the case, and comes as Gemini RCS support leaks too

Google looks set to give Google Gemini some serious upgrades by allowing it greater access to your apps without forcing you to tweak your privacy settings, and giving it new abilities within those apps.

You might have seen an email that Google sent to Android phone users stating that Gemini will be able to interact with the Phone, Messages, WhatsApp , and Utilities apps, even if you have Gemini Apps Activity switched off.

The immediate reaction was one of concern, but this is actually a huge
privacy win. (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

With Gemini Apps Activity switched on, Google can see an activity log of how you use Gemini personal data it can then use to develop its products
further. If you want to keep this data more private, you had to lose out on Gemini being able to access extensions, which allow it to perform actions using other apps, such as texting someone if you ask it to.

This change means you can keep your activity log private while still not losing out on these basic smart assistant features, which Googles Assistant has had for years.

Though thats not to say Google wont store any of your Gemini activity even if this setting is off. Google admits it will store some activity data for at most 72 hours. Its stored for 24 hours within Gemini so that the AI can respond to your conversations contextually. The longer limit is for security and safety reasons, which you can find out more about on Googles support page . RCS support incoming?

Perhaps in preparation for Gemini having easy access to Messages and so presumably more people using the app Gemini is getting an RCS upgrade too, apparently. (Image credit: Apple)

Thats based on Android Authority s analysis of the latest Google app files, which hints at RCS coming to Gemini because the AI can fetch the devices RCS capabilities. This would only be necessary if the AI were RCS compatible.

This is significant because currently, Geminis inability to use RCS means its unable to send or play audio, images, or video through the Google Messages app. With access to this messaging standard, that could very quickly change.

As with similar leaks, theres no guarantee that Gemini will get RCS support any time soon (or at all), but it certainly makes plenty of sense as an upgrade, so its one well be keeping our eye out for. You might also like This simple trick gets you 3 months of Google Gemini Veo 3 for free I tried
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/google-gemini-is-s et-to-become-a-significantly-better-phone-assistant-thanks-to-these-two-small- upgrades


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