At the just-concluded Google I/O 2026, Google announced a wave of new Gemini-powered features spanning Search, Android XR, and several of its core services. The biggest highlight is the next-generation large model Gemini 3.5 Pro, currently in the testing phase and expected to officially launch next month. Meanwhile, the Gemini Spark intelligent assistant—designed for top-tier subscribers—will become available to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. next week, providing 24/7 task-handling capabilities. In addition, the Gemini app has received a redesigned interactive interface called "Neural Expressive," along with the introduction of the lightweight 3.5 Flash model and a daily briefing feature.
On the Search front, Google introduced "Smart Search Box" and "Agentic Coding" features, allowing users to handle complex tasks directly within the search interface, such as custom trackers and shopping lists. Meanwhile, the Android XR platform also received significant updates, bringing native Gemini integration to mixed-reality devices. Additionally, Google Docs added a "Live" real-time collaboration feature, Google Keep gained voice AI note-taking capabilities, and Google Photos can now generate AI-powered birthday invitation videos. These new capabilities will start rolling out today in the U.S. across the Gemini app, Search, and Google AI subscriptions, with expansion to YouTube and Gmail coming this summer.
