Key Takeaways
- “App functions” is an unexposed feature included in the initial Android 16 preview.
- These features might be hooks that give Gemini command-over apps.
- By May, we should know more about the feature.
According to recently discovered code, Google’s Gemini AI will finally be able to do tasks inside apps rather than just extract data from them in the upcoming major update of Android.
According to Android Authority, a new set of APIs (application programming interfaces) linked to a feature known as “app functions” are part of the first developer preview of Android 16, which was only made public this week. The specifics of how the technology operates seem to allude to hooks for Gemini, even though Google’s website just describes an app function as “a specific piece of functionality” that may be “integrated into various system features.”
The depth of those hooks is unknown; however, as an example, Google states that the function label “orderFood” might be used by an app’s food ordering feature. When Gemini is integrated, Android users should be able to try voice commands like “order some dinner from DoorDash.” However, there are no explicit references to voice assistants or even instances of such commands in the manual.
App features may be a reaction to Apple’s ambitions for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS if they are indeed linked to Gemini. Plans for “app intents,” or actions and material that can connect to Siri using Apple Intelligence, were unveiled by the iPhone manufacturer in June 2024. Customers should start to notice the shift in early 2025. In October, iOS 18.1 and a stripped-down version of Apple Intelligence were released; additional features are anticipated in December.
In 2019, Google initially hinted at a comprehensive set of voice-activated app instructions. They were linked to a “new Google Assistant” at the time, but although Assistant did keep developing, that command framework never came to pass. The business most likely made the decision to shift its focus, including the launch of Gemini, at some point.
At Google’s upcoming I/O developer event, which is probably scheduled for May, we might learn more about app functionalities. The final version of Android 16 may be released as early as spring 2025, which is far earlier in the year than Android users have become accustomed to. Major and minor Android improvements are now released in the spring and fall, respectively, as Google has switched to a two-release plan.