You're not alone: This email from Google's Gemini team is concerning
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Google’s Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to “help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who’ve received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices.
Pretty sure I disabled Gemini as one of the first things I did when I got my phone. But, yes when I read that, to me it did seem like a serious overreach for something that was going to be "on by default" for most users.
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If this is the case, it's (apparently) good for privacy.
Less bad, maybe?
Either way it's definitely a good example of why you should write good emails to your customers that explain things properly.
If this is what they're saying I'm assuming they didn't want to be too clear about what info they're storing if you don't opt out and ended up making an email that sounds like a threat.
Either way I won't be using Gemini as an assistant any time soon. Or any other voice assistant, for that matter.
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Yes, it's on there. I have a phone, never downloaded or installed Gemini, but because it's a motorola with a special extra button... I can push that button and up pops Gemini.
The only way I can stop it is by disabling the Google app, then the button becomes innert again (which is how I like it).
So yes, it's embedded in the Google app. Disabling the Google app may aslo cause other issues (such as Google Home/Chromecast not working).
Doesn't the motorola phone have a settings screen for defining what the button does? For Samsung they like to re-purpose the power button.
First of all, it brought up bixby. I turned it back to powering off the phone and disabled bixby.
Then, with the new update they re-assigned the power button to gemini. So, I turned it back to powering off the phone and disabled gemini too.
However, the problem these days is that I'm never completely sure I've turned off all of the AI nonsense on my phone.
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Google’s Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to “help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who’ve received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices.
I don't feel very concerned... That's kind of the point of the service.
Good that there's an opt-out.
edit: I dug around for it. They seem to mean the literal "Apps" settings page and not the "Settings" page. Every individual app that Gemini is capable of connecting to has a switch there. In Gemini, press your profile picture, then apps. In there you can both access the activity setting and decide which apps Gemini has access to.
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Google’s Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to “help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who’ve received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices.
So it's still Your device not Gemini device. I'll wait couple of years.
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Laughs in GrapheneOS
but for how long
https://x.com/GrapheneOS/status/1933177989480456365 -
Laughs in GrapheneOS
Nervously chuckles "im in danger" while clicking through to the Graphene rom.
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Less bad, maybe?
Either way it's definitely a good example of why you should write good emails to your customers that explain things properly.
If this is what they're saying I'm assuming they didn't want to be too clear about what info they're storing if you don't opt out and ended up making an email that sounds like a threat.
Either way I won't be using Gemini as an assistant any time soon. Or any other voice assistant, for that matter.
You're right. Anyeay, my google account is just a placeholder, let's say. Everything is disable and I don't actively use it to store anything, not even my calendar.
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Google’s Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to “help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.” Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who’ve received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices.
Linux has become good enough to replace desktop operating systems.
Now, we are back at square one. I’ll be the first to inaccurately declare, “This will be the year of the Linux phone.”
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but for how long
https://x.com/GrapheneOS/status/1933177989480456365Long enough for GOS to port Android 16 or get their own OEM, I hope
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Pretty sure I disabled Gemini as one of the first things I did when I got my phone. But, yes when I read that, to me it did seem like a serious overreach for something that was going to be "on by default" for most users.
How, its baked in? Gemini isnt installed on my phone but its there. Like the circle to search.
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Linux has become good enough to replace desktop operating systems.
Now, we are back at square one. I’ll be the first to inaccurately declare, “This will be the year of the Linux phone.”
Looking at postmarketOS for my phone too, so sick of this shit
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How, its baked in? Gemini isnt installed on my phone but its there. Like the circle to search.
You might be thinking of the normal Google Assistant
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but for how long
https://x.com/GrapheneOS/status/1933177989480456365X is blocked on network level here, could you please copy&paste?
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Looking at postmarketOS for my phone too, so sick of this shit
PostmarketOS is cool, but as an actual phone replacement it is tough, at least last time I tried.
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X is blocked on network level here, could you please copy&paste?
GrapheneOS
@GrapheneOS
We're going to be moving forward under the expectation that future Pixel devices may not meet the requirements to run GrapheneOS (https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices
) and may not support using another OS. We've been in talks with a couple OEMs about making devices and what it would cost.
1:02 AM · Jun 13, 2025 -
I don't use them either, but still got the email.
Same. My only use is accidental.
Guess I'm should get around to disabling it.
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X is blocked on network level here, could you please copy&paste?
GrapheneOS
@GrapheneOS
Jun 12
We're going to be moving forward under the expectation that future Pixel devices may not meet the requirements to run GrapheneOS (grapheneos.org/faq#future-de…) and may not support using another OS. We've been in talks with a couple OEMs about making devices and what it would cost.Jun 12, 2025 · 3:02 PM UTC
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Linux has become good enough to replace desktop operating systems.
Now, we are back at square one. I’ll be the first to inaccurately declare, “This will be the year of the Linux phone.”
All I need is a good enough emulation of android apps to fool them (eg for banking).
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Bixby is, or used to be, on Samsung phones.
Gemini replaced Bitchxby on the latest Samsungs.
It's in the firmware.
With the S25 series they even give you a year of full subscription.
They made it the centrepiece of the launch event of the product line.Galaxy devices now come with Gemini, your powerful AI assistant from Google. Long press the power button to get started.
The Samsung's front is called "Galaxy AI" but Gemini runs every new feature really - including "cross-apps actions".
(The non-obsolete Bixby features retained the name but are part of Galaxy AI now.)But even with everything off One UI 7 (and Samsung apps, like camera) is still littered with AI buttons.
youtube.com/HinL5jCy_oI&t=1270
(Gemini is now the default action for long-pressing the power button)
