Google Begins Rolling Out Gemini 'Utilities' Extension: What's New?

Google has begun to push out the Gemini Utilities extension after its preview at I/O in May. The utilities extension lessens Gemini's dependency on the Google Assistant for a number of functions, such as controlling music playback, accessing apps and setting alarms and timings.

Google claims that Gemini will let users take pictures and screenshots, browse or search for screenshots in Pixel Screenshots, control device capabilities, and open websites, apps and settings. The feature presently supports voice and text instructions in English. 

However, your smartphone might not have the utilities extension right away because it is reportedly being rolled out to users gradually.

One of the problems users have had with Gemini is being resolved by the utilities extension, which enables some capabilities even while a device is locked. This includes checking the device's volume and battery level, turn it on and off, take screenshots and photos, control media directly from the lock screen, set and silence alarms, set and stop timers, and enable or disable the bluetooth, do not disturb mode, battery saver and flashlight.

Here's a lowdown on what users can do with the Gemini Utilities extension:

• Set alarm at [time]

• Set alarm in [minutes]

• Change [alarm name] alarm to [time]

• When is my next alarm?

• Show my alarms

• Snooze alarm

• Stop

• Cancel [time] alarm for [day]

• Remove all my alarms

• Delete [time, alarm name] alarm

• Set timer for [length of time]

• Add another timer for [length of time]

• Change the timer’s name to [new name]

• Add [length of time] to this timer

• How much time is left on my timer?

• Show my timers

• Pause my timer

• Resume my timer

• Unpause my timer

• Reset timer

• Restart my timer

• Stop

• Delete the timer

• Set an alarm so that I can wake up for [event, activity]

• I need to focus on [activity, task] for [length of time]. Set a timer for this

• Show my alarms/Delete the [time] alarm

• When does [activity, event] start?/Set an alarm for [hours] hours earlier

• Turn my media volume and notification volume to [percentage] and turn on Battery Saver

• Take a photo with a 10-second timer

• Turn [on, off] flashlight

• Turn [on, off] Battery Saver

• Tell me the volume

• Volume [percentage]

• Turn [up, down] volume

• Decrease brightness to [percentage]

• What’s my battery level?

• Power off device

• Restart my device

• Take a selfie

• Take a picture in [seconds]

• Take a screenshot

• Pause

• Pause the [music, video]

• Stop the [music, video]

• Resume

• Continue playing

• Replay

• Restart [music, video]

• Skip

• Next

• Next [song, video]

• Previous

• Play previous

• Give this [song, video] a Thumbs up

• Open [URL name]

• Open [app name]

• Open [name of settings] settings

• Search for [item, object, content type] in Pixel Screenshots

• Show me my [collection name] in Pixel Screenshots

• Check Pixel Screenshots [your query]