AssembleDebug / Android Authority
Summary:
- Google is enhancing its testing of a new Gemini overlay feature that allows conversations to continue even after the overlay is closed.
- Instead of disappearing when you click away, the Gemini overlay can transform into a floating bubble for easy access to chats.
- The update includes a redesigned bubble with a Gemini theme and refreshed animations, but is not yet available on stable Android versions.
Android 17 has introduced app bubbles, significantly improving multitasking capabilities. These bubbles permit multiple apps to remain visible, allowing seamless transitions between tasks without interruption. Recently, more users have begun to access the new bubble functionality for the Gemini overlay.
Previously, closing the Gemini overlay required you to start a new chat the next time you opened it. The new feature allows the overlay to shrink into a floating bubble with a spark icon, letting users resume their previous conversation with a simple tap, thus eliminating the need to search through chat history.
The latest rollout of this feature includes a gradient design that matches the Gemini theme. The “Minimize Gemini” button remains, and tapping outside the overlay converts it into a bubble. Additionally, the overlay’s animations have been improved to be more visually appealing.
Users with the stable Android 17 version won’t see this new feature just yet. While app bubbles can be created for the Gemini app, they serve a different purpose than this persistent overlay bubble, which allows ongoing conversations to linger beyond a single use.
This seemingly small adjustment has significant implications. Users no longer have to lose track of their conversations upon closing the overlay, as they can now keep their chats readily accessible while using other applications.
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