It installed itself as part of an update package.

What I hate most about this is the lack of control over this it implies. Sure, maybe you don’t install this on your device, but all that’s needed for Google to access your messages now is for someone you message to have it installed and enabled, then anything you send to them will be gobbled up by Google.

Don't go and manually install it.

The misinformation about this has been wild.

I was fully expecting that, but since enshittification recently intensified (Android 15's bluetooth settings are a giant step back in usability), neither google play nor system in general nor anything from motorola has internet access on my phone, I send everything through RethinkVPN (from f-droid) and block all internet access except for apps that I explicitly allow. I'm just not updating anything except periodically Signal, IronFox and PipePipe.

Gemini was automatically installed for me, and the app connections were all enabled, like the article describes. Better check and be safe than to be sorry

Update of what? Android or something else?

Hopefully unintalling and disabling is actually doing something. I feel like they are just tricking us and you can't really disable it.

If I have the app disabled it probably can't do anything right?

Which app ?

The Gemini app. I can't uninstall it from my phone but I have it disabled. Not sure if Google's other account access and apps on my phone are going to still feed into Gemini.

Google app and the play services still present on your device, which means it feeds data into gemini in a direct or indirect way. If you need privacy from gemini then you must degoogle. Convenience and privacy won't fit in one basket.

Why don't try lineage os without microg which is way better for privacy and security!

Yes. It was bundled as part of either a system or security update.

Is this a US only thing? I have no email and no Gemini app (although there are settings in system)

Google play services says bonjour

It must be an Android update as that's all I ever do, and I never installed Gemini. I just checked and it was there, with permissions to access WhatsApp and multiple other apps. I just removed all the permissions and disabled the app. We'll see if any future updates turn it back on.

Shhhhhneeeeeky bastards.

In the case of my fully updated pixel 9 pro XL, Gemini was installed from the factory. I uninstalled it and installed Google Assistant. It has not re-installed itself for me, and further, I would recommend that if you don't use Gemini, you uninstall it.

This may change once the July patch hits but. As of right now it's not currently installed.

Yes, but the phones of all your peers will have that shit on them.

In my case (Galaxy S21) I can only disable it, not uninstall.

The people you're messaging might, though.

Good that I don't do any updates apart from some apps.