Google Gemini app adds lock screen widgets on iPhone

Google is making another move to attract iPhone users to its AI, positioning Gemini as an alternative to ChatGPT for assistant tasks. The latest update to the Google Gemini app on iPhone introduces six new lock screen widgets and direct access through the Control Center.

These new widgets are a significant enhancement, making it much easier to access Gemini's features directly from the lock screen. While this is a step forward, it still doesn’t match the Gemini Live video and screen-sharing features Google showcased at MWC, which are expected to launch on Android devices later this month.

That said, the ability to use Gemini directly from the lock screen is a great convenience for those who rely on Gemini as their primary AI assistant on iPhone.

The new widgets offer various ways to interact with Google's AI. The "Type Prompt" widget lets you type questions without opening the app, while "Talk Live" enables voice interaction with Gemini, which will respond aloud. The "Open Mic" widget allows you to set reminders and create calendar events, among other tasks.

The "Use Camera" lock screen widget allows you to take a photo of something in front of you and ask Gemini about it. Meanwhile, the "Share Image" and "Share File" widgets let you share images or files to gather information, seek inspiration, create art, or start a conversation with Gemini.

Given that Google has been slow to roll out Gemini features on iPhone—taking some time to launch a dedicated Gemini app for iPhone users—these lock screen widgets are a welcome addition to the expanding suite of AI tools for iPhone users. They also give Gemini an edge over ChatGPT, as OpenAI's iPhone app currently only offers two lock screen widget options.