Keep in mind when Google seemingly gave Pixel 8 house owners the quick finish of the stick and mentioned “No Gemini Nano for you!”? Properly, amidst justified fan outrage, it seems to be like somebody at Google HQ may’ve listening. The corporate is now reversing course and has introduced that the subsequent Pixel Function Drop will certainly convey a developer preview of Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8 lineup.
Google is seemingly being very cautious about bringing these options to the smaller Pixel 8. The corporate additionally seems to be agreeing with the belief that the rationale the Pixel 8 was not noted of the loop within the first place was its lack of RAM when in comparison with the Pixel 8 Professional (8GB vs. 12GB). This was a concept that many initially speculated, as there was no clear cause given by Google as to why the smaller system could not assist the identical options because the bigger.
To that extent, Google is issuing what seems to be refined warnings that this can be a check and solely a check to see the way it goes. In a assertion to the media, Google mentioned:
We’ve seen quite a lot of pleasure from customers and builders since Pixel 8 Professional turned the primary smartphone to get Gemini Nano final 12 months. Working giant language fashions on telephones with completely different reminiscence specs can ship completely different consumer experiences, so now we have been testing and validating this on Pixel 8. We’re excited to supply the chance for extra fanatics and builders to check out Gemini Nano, the place we hope to get extra suggestions and see extra innovation.
Moreover, Seang Chau, Google’s VP of Units & Companies Software program, addressed this within the latest episode of the “Made by Google Podcast” by stating the under:
So the plan is that we’d additionally make Gemini Nano obtainable on Pixel 8 behind a developer choice. In order that builders, who know precisely what the influence to their consumer expertise can be, are ready to make use of this function. And naturally, any customers that additionally perceive the potential influence to the consumer expertise are additionally ready to make use of this function. We’re nonetheless doing system well being validations, as a result of even when you’re a developer you may nonetheless need to use your cellphone every day, however we’re planning on getting it out by the subsequent function drop.
So, there you may have it. I suppose we are able to dub the model of Gemino Nano that can come to the Pixel 8 as “Nano-Lite”? However in all seriousness, that is nonetheless nice information for Pixel 8 house owners and Pixel house owners generally, who weren’t pleased with Google’s resolution to maintain the cell model of Google’s LLM unique to its latest flagship. As a Pixel proprietor myself, I had the identical emotions about AI options akin to “Circle to Search” being excluded from the Pixel Fold (a tool I personal), which Google can also be backtracking on.
