Double FAB to promote Gemini

  Addition of double FAB to promote Gemini by Google   

Google expanded Gemini access inside Google Messages in May 2024. Then the company removed the Samsung and Pixel device exclusivity, bringing its AI-powered chatbot to Android devices with 6GB+ of RAM inside its messaging app. Earlier, a teardown revealed that Google Messages was testing a faster way to access Gemini with a dedicated FAB button. The change now appears to be widely rolling out to Google Messages users. Gemini in Google Messages exited beta at I/O 2024 last month and now features a double FAB design.

Tapping the Gemini floating action button will provide direct access to the chatbot, allowing you to start a conversation quickly. If you have not used Gemini in Messages before, you must accept the terms and conditions first. After that, you can talk to Gemini, ask it to draft a message, get dinner ideas, and more. The Gemini FAB sits right above the Start chat button in the bottom-left corner of Google Messages. While it is noticeably smaller than the latter, the compose button shrinks when you start scrolling.

 In a rather prominent push, the “Start chat” floating action button now has a smaller Gemini FAB just above it. When you’re dealing with the rectangle, the square looks misaligned. Everything is visually correct upon scrolling. The small FAB for Gemini is now widely rolling out to stable users of Google Messages. This availability does not coincide with the ability to disable it. It also follows Google bringing Gemini to Messages users in Europe. There’s some precedent for this look in Google Drive where the “New” FAB is paired with a scan shortcut. However, the camera disappears when scrolling. 

Seemingly, the Gemini FAB will only appear if you have RCS enabled in Google Messages and are logged in to your personal Google account. This is in addition to the device requirements, which state that your phone's language must be set to English (or French in Canada) and must have 6GB+ RAM. Currently, to start a conversation with the AI-powered chatbot, you need to compose a new message and select Gemini from the list. The new FAB button will speed up this process, reducing the taps required to access Gemini inside Google Messages. Tapping simply opens the Gemini conversation for persistent access to the generative AI chatbot, which should still be powered by Gemini 1.0 Pro and optimized to deliver concise responses. Google this month dropped the Pixel and Samsung requirement. 

This Gemini FAB in Google Messages is live for some beta users. Looking ahead, a Gemini icon will appear in the top-right corner of Gmail for Android/iOS to access the Q&A capability, while the sparkle is how you access the side panel on desktop web. Google Messages is now rolling out a dedicated FAB for Gemini, enabling faster access to the AI chatbot. Google needs to deepen Gemini's integration in Google Messages. Essentially, Gemini in Google Messages provides another way to talk to the chatbot, though with shorter responses to better fit RCS chats.