Google Announces Gemini AI, Android 17 and Chromebook Features

Google on Tuesday unveiled Gemini Intelligence, a new suite of proactive AI features coming to Android phones, ChromeOS devices, Wear OS, Android Auto and Android XR starting this summer. The announcement came during the second edition of The Android Show livestream, which the company used to offload Android and AI news ahead of its I/O developer conference.

Gemini Intelligence integrates hardware and software to handle tasks in the background while giving users final say before completing actions such as booking travel or making purchases. Examples include long-pressing a grocery list to generate a shopping cart or automatically reserving a spin class spot.

The system will run only in permitted apps and includes granular controls to disable features or limit data sharing.

Google also introduced Googlebooks, a new line of laptops designed around Gemini Intelligence and built for seamless compatibility with Android phones. Users will be able to access files stored on their Android device directly from the Googlebook file browser.

The first Googlebooks will ship this fall from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo. The company said it has been working on unifying ChromeOS and Android and views the new hardware as the next step. For Googlebooks, engineers created Magic Pointer, a gesture feature that displays contextual suggestions when the cursor is wiggled near on-screen content such as dates in emails.

17 will introduce Noto 3D emoji, with Pixel phones receiving them first later this year. A new speech-to-text tool called Rambler uses Gemini Intelligence to remove filler words, clarify intent and handle mid-sentence language switches without storing audio recordings.

Pause Point adds a 10-second delay before opening certain time-sucking apps and suggests alternatives such as breathing exercises. The feature requires a phone restart to disable entirely. Screen Reactions will let Pixel users record their face and screen simultaneously for content creation, arriving this summer.

An Adobe Premiere app with exclusive templates and direct YouTube Shorts posting is also coming to Android. Google partnered with Apple to simplify switching from iOS to Android, enabling wireless transfer of passwords, photos, messages, apps, contacts and eSIMs.

Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices will support the tool later this year.

Interoperability and Instagram Updates Quick

Share on Android will become compatible with Apple's AirDrop across devices from Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi and Honor later this year. Starting immediately, users can generate a QR code in Quick Share to transfer files to iOS devices via the cloud.

The Instagram app is now fully optimized for Android tablets. It gains ultra HDR video capture, built-in stabilization, night sight and on-device AI tools in the Instagram Edits app to upscale media and separate audio tracks.

Gemini in Chrome is coming to Android browsers, built on Gemini 3.1. Users can summon a chatbot to summarize pages, pull information from Gmail or Calendar, generate images or auto-browse to complete tasks such as reserving parking. The feature initially rolls out at the end of June to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the United States on devices running Android 12 or higher.

Confirmation prompts are required before sensitive actions. Android Auto receives a Material 3 Expressive redesign that adapts to any infotainment screen shape. Immersive Navigation in Google Maps offers 3D views of terrain, lanes and signs. When parked, users can stream 60fps full HD video that switches to audio-only while driving.

Gemini's Magic Cue can scan messages, Gmail and Calendar to draft replies. Voice commands will support ordering from DoorDash. The updates will reach supported models from BMW, Ford, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Škoda, Tata and Volvo later this year.

Google added protections against prompt injection and is using Private Compute Core along with audited open-source components to safeguard data processed by Gemini features. A Privacy Dashboard update will show which AI assistants ran and which apps they accessed in the past 24 hours.

Call verification with banks and financial institutions will automatically end spoofed calls. Initial partners include Revolut, Itaú and Nubank. Dynamic signal monitoring on Android 17 will detect suspicious app behavior such as icon hiding or accessibility permission abuse.

Sideloaded apps scanned through Safe Browsing will be checked for malware. Android 17 reduces password entry attempts and adds longer delays after failures. The IMEI will appear by default on the lock screen for easier device recovery. Users will gain finer control over location sharing, allowing precise location only for specific tasks while an app is open.

Developers can request individual contacts instead of full address books. " — Google press release, May 2026 (Engadget) >"A user always has control. " — Mindy Brooks, May 2026 (Wired) Google will reveal additional Googlebooks details in the coming months.