Google is readying some sort of “AI Mode” for the Search app on Android that appears to be a new conversational and visual (or multimodal) experience.
About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.
Since October, the Google app on Android has been working on an “AI Mode,” which is also referred to as “AIM.” There is a microphone button for voice input, while you can take a picture or add an existing one:
<string name=”googleapp_aim_mic_button_content_description”>Microphone</string>
<string name=”googleapp_aim_listening_text”>Listening…</string>
<string name=”googleapp_aim_photo_button_content_description”>Take a photo</string>
<string name=”googleapp_aim_gallery_button_content_description”>Add image from gallery</string>
Notably, you will be able to “Ask a follow up…” question and interrupt Google’s responses:
<string name=”googleapp_aim_followup_hint”>Ask a follow up…</string>
<string name=”googleapp_aim_interrupt_button_content_description”>Stop loading</string>
Meanwhile, this week’s Google app beta (version 15.48) suggests you might possibly access it as a dedicated tab. (The Android app’s bottom bar has four sections today: Home (Google Discover), Search, Saved (bookmarks), and Notifications.) Notably, the developers seem to have intentionally left an emoticon “wink” as a placeholder for AI Mode in the app’s code.
<string name=”googleapp_ai_mode_home_screen_tab_marker”>search_ai_mode_home_screen_tab_;-)</string>
Another way to access AI Mode is some of “Threads” entry point, which could be how Google shows your past Search conversations.
<string name=”googleapp_aim_threads_entry_point_content_description”>Threads</string>
Putting everything together, if Gemini Live is how you talk to Gemini, this AI Mode seems like a way to get answers by talking directly to Google Search.
The visual capabilities hinted at above already exist in Google Lens, which lets you take a video and append a question (shown below), while Gemini and Gemini Live let you ask questions out loud.
Google Search itself lacks a modern voice component. If you tap the microphone in the Google app, Search homescreen widget, or Pixel Launcher, you just get a basic voice input experience that transcribes your query and shows a result page (which might have an AI Overview).
It would be interesting if AI Mode overhauls and replaces all that to play a concise response with the ability for you to ask more questions as they arise.
Thanks to JEB Decompiler, from which some APK Insight teardowns benefit.
Kyle Bradshaw contributed to this post.
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