Technology
Google rolls out floating bubble shortcut for Android Gemini overlay
A new minimize feature lets Android users collapse the assistant overlay into a movable floating shortcut.
The short version
- Google has begun a wide rollout of a multitasking feature on Android that collapses the Gemini assistant overlay into a floating bubble.[9to5Google]
- Users can activate the shortcut via a Minimize button that shifts positions depending on whether a prompt was just submitted or a response has loaded.[9to5Google]
- The bubble can be expanded, moved across six fixed screen points, or dragged to dismiss.[9to5Google]
- A bug currently appears to reset the floating bubble's position to the bottom-right corner upon each minimization.[9to5Google]
Key facts
- The Gemini overlay on Android now offers a Minimize button that turns the interface into a floating bubble marked with the spark logo.[9to5Google]
- The Minimize button is centered after prompt entry and moves to the right once a response loads.[9to5Google]
- The floating bubble is limited to six fixed screen positions and can be expanded by tapping or closed by dragging to dismiss.[9to5Google]
- The Minimize button and bubble shortcut began rolling out widely across Android devices.[9to5Google]
What remains uncertain
- An apparent bug resets the Gemini bubble to the bottom-right corner of the screen following each minimization.[9to5Google]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.