Google's Gemini Nano Boosts Live Transcription on Pixel 8, Pixel 8a; Recorder App Gets New Shortcut

Google claims Pixel 8 and 8a users can now download Gemini Nano for access to improved Live Transcription features such as Summarise.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 14 June 2024 12:58 IST

Google's Gemini Nano Boosts Live Transcription on Pixel 8, Pixel 8a; Recorder App Gets New Shortcut

Photo Credit: Pexels/Eren Li

The feature is said to be available in the Recorder app version 4.2.20240502.639621645

Highlights

Google introduced a new Record shortcut for quick access to Recorder app
The feature is reported in Recorder version 4.2.20240502.639621645
Gemini Nano is now also available on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a smartphones

Google Pixel smartphones received several new features as part of the Pixel Feature Drop for June that was rolled out earlier this week. One of the key upgrades that Google has rolled out improves the functionality of its Recorder app, with the addition of a new shortcut on the home screen. The app can also leverage the power of Google's Gemini Nano small language model (SLM) on handsets such as the Pixel 8 as well as the recently introduced Pixel 8a.

Recorder App on Google Pixel

In a blog post published earlier this week, Google announced new abilities for its smartphones. 9to5Google spotted a new shortcut for the Recorder app that appears as a red circle on a white background, matching the larger floating action button (FAB). This Record shortcut can now be placed on the home screen to quickly start a recording.

The feature is speculated to provide a boost to the live transcription capabilities by bringing quick access to it. According to the publication, it is available with version 4.2.20240502.639621645 of the Recorder app on Pixel phones. Gadgets 360 staff members were unable to verify its availability.

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In addition to the new shortcut, Google said it is bringing Gemini Nano, its SLM built for on-device tasks to other handsets in the Pixel 8 series. While the flagship Pixel 8 Pro was already equipped with it, the Pixel 8 and 8a will now benefit from it. The SLM will be available for download in the developer options in the Pixel's settings and is reported to be about 1GB in size.

As a result, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a will now be able to deliver “more detailed, downloadable summaries” via the Summarize feature in the Recorder app. Meanwhile, Pixel 8 Pro users can now take advantage of speaker labels in conversational transcripts.

Google Gemini Nano comes to Google Messages

In the Pixel Feature Drop for June, Google also announced a new and quicker way for users to have conversations with Gemini in the Messages app. Although a similar functionality exists in the app, a couple of steps are required before they can start conversing.

With the update, a Gemini FAB reportedly now appears above the start chat icon. This feature is said to have been spotted during an APK teardown of the Google Messages app version messages.android_20240610_01_RC00.

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Google Pixel 8 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Premium design, IP68 rating
Fun AI-infused software experience
Good quality cameras
Quality video recording
Impressive image editing software
Long-term commitment to software updates

Bad
Gets warm under load
Buggy camera app
Not made for gaming
Average battery life
Relatively slow wired charging

Read detailed Google Pixel 8 Pro review

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Google Tensor G3

Front Camera 11-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 64-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 5050mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1344x2992 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

Google Pixel 8

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Smaller form factor makes it more comfortable to hold
Excellent and bright display
Cameras are still the best
Packed with AI features

Bad
Battery life is still not the best
Expensive
Tends to heat up under heavy load

Read detailed Google Pixel 8 review

Display 6.20-inch

Processor Google Tensor G3

Front Camera 11-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 4575mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1080x2400 pixels

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Google Pixel 8a

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Compact IP67-rated design
Timely software updates
Pixel Feature Drops are worth the wait
Impressive still camera performance

Bad
Thick display bezel
Gets very hot when using the camera
Heating limits camera options
Wired and wireless charging are slow

Read detailed Google Pixel 8a review

Display 6.10-inch

Front Camera 13-megapixel

Rear Camera 64-megapixel + 13-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 4492mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1080x2400 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Google Pixel, Google Pixel 8, Gemini Nano, AI, Artificial intelligence

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More