First look: Gemini could soon help you set up your new Android phone

Joe Maring / Android AuthorityTL;DR Google is testing a Gemini-powered setup assistant for Android devices. The assistant provides account-tailored recommendations, prompts based on on-screen content, and direct settings updates. An “Ask Gemini” input bar is also prominently present, encouraging users to ask AI for help with anything. Setting up a new Android phone can be an exercise in tedious tap-throughs: skipping endless prompts, toggling permissions, and hunting down essential setup steps you actually care about. Google looks to be working on a way to make that onboarding process significantly smarter and far less friction-heavy. Within Google Play Services v26.30.31 beta, we’ve discovered that Google is developing an AI-powered phone setup assistant, designed to offer account-tailored recommendations and real-time guidance when switching to a new Android device.You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.This new AI-powered setup assistant may appear during the initial phone setup, potentially after you log in to your Google account.In our experience with this AI-powered setup assistant before its rollout, it reviewed the Google account and suggested adding a recovery phone number and email. You can provide these details, or skip input and move to the next screen.You’ll notice that the screenshots above also include an “Ask Gemini” input box. This input box can be used to invoke the Gemini overlay and ask questions about the content on the screen. You can also see suggested prompts, like “Why do I need recovery info?” “Is my recovery info private?” and “Can I change this later?” The prompts also similarly invoke the Gemini overlay for answers.As we progressed through the setup, we saw plenty of suggestions from the AI-powered setup assistant. There are specific screens for signing up for tips and updates from Google, setting up Google Wallet for contactless payment, and setting up a home address, too. Each screen has the Gemini input box, so you can easily get your queries addressed without leaving the setup assistant. The actions in the suggestions also take effect instantly — you aren’t redirected to another app to input your home address, for example.At the end of the setup assistant, it recommends some apps to “get the most out of your new device.” These app recommendations appear to be suggestions based on your Google account. The individual “Get” buttons open a Play Store bottom sheet housing the app listing.When we first activated the feature, we were also prompted to complete a survey that revealed the “setup assistant” moniker.The survey questions reveal more about Google’s intentions with the AI-powered setup assistant. Google wants to provide AI-supported, personalized recommendations and clear explanations to help users navigate their phone setup smoothly. Google seems aware that the assistant could come across as pushy or promotional, but the overall intent appears to be to help users.This AI-powered setup assistant is not currently live on Android. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.⚠️ An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.