They'd have to install it first.

Oh hell nah

Good thing I don't have that shit on my phone (at least until Google forces it)

If the Gemini app is not installed, it can't do this right

Exactly. It is an odd advice - disable something you had to install first just to disable?

This is my assumption too. It's disabled for me. I have no plans to change that.

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)