Google brings Gemini lockscreen widgets to iPhone

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Google’s been busy making their Gemini AI more accessible on iOS, and their latest update is actually pretty sweet.

The company just released version 1.2025.0762303 of the Gemini iPhone app, which includes some fancy new lock screen widgets and Control Center integration that should’ve been there from the start.

“These shortcuts let you launch Gemini immediately, and should have been available on day one to match competing apps,” notes 9to5Google’s Abner Li, who first reported on the update.

What’s New in Your AI Pocket?

The update brings six circular lock screen widgets that turn your iPhone into an AI command center:

• A quick-type prompt widget (for those shower thoughts)
• Talk Live button (when you need to chat with the robot)
• Open mic shortcut (hands-free AI, baby)
• Camera access (for when you need to show Gemini what you’re looking at)
• Image sharing (upload those memes)
• File sharing (because sometimes you need to share docs)

The best part? You can slap any of these shortcuts right into those fancy corner buttons on your lock screen or tuck them away in Control Center.

More Than Just Pretty Widgets

The update isn’t just about those shiny new widgets. Google’s also thrown in some other goodies, including:

• The ability to share stuff directly to Gemini from other apps
• Deep Research features for Gemini Advanced users
• Various UI improvements and bug fixes (because who doesn’t love a good bug fix?)

This update follows last week’s homescreen redesign, suggesting Google’s serious about making Gemini a legitimate contender against the likes of ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude.

And honestly? It’s about time. With competitors breathing down their neck, Google needed to step up their game on iOS.

Want to get your hands on these new features? The update’s rolling out now on the App Store. Just make sure you’ve got enough space on your phone – because let’s face it, these AI apps aren’t exactly lightweight.

So, what are your thoughts on Google’s latest Gemini update for iOS? Are these new lock screen widgets and Control Center shortcuts a game-changer for you, or do you think Google still has some catching up to do?

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com.