An APK teardown of Google’s AICore app reveals the anticipated toggle for activating Gemini Nano features on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. Google had previously mentioned that Nano support would be available on these phones through Developer Options, indicating that the launch is imminent. However, there is also a possibility that users may have the option to opt out of Nano on the Pixel 8 Pro.
There are multiple versions of Google’s Gemini, but only Gemini Nano actually utilizes the hardware in smartphones. Currently, Nano support is limited to a few devices, including the Google Pixel 8 Pro. After receiving backlash for not bringing Nano support to the Pixel 8, Google decided to add Nano support to both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a.
Users of the Pixel 8 and 8a will need to manually enable Nano support through a toggle in developer options, while Pixel 8 Pro users already have the feature enabled automatically. This means that a majority of Pixel 8/8a users may not even be aware that they have the option to use Gemini Nano features.
An APK teardown of the AICore app from Google reveals the toggle for enabling Nano support, hinting at an upcoming launch. This could also mean that Pixel 8 Pro users may have more control over the feature as well.
While the existence of the toggle suggests an imminent announcement from Google, it is important to note that predicted features may not always make it to a public release. The toggles for enabling AICore to use resources and turning on Nano are expected to be off by default on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a.
With this new development, Pixel 8 and 8a users will need to activate Developer Options and enable the toggles to access Gemini Nano features. The addition of this toggle on the Pixel 8 Pro could potentially allow users to disable Nano support, providing them with more control over the feature.
While the toggle buried in Developer Options may not be as convenient as Samsung’s Galaxy AI interface, it does offer users more control over their devices. The upcoming announcement of Nano support for the Pixel 8 series is expected to happen soon.