TL;DR Google is enabling Gemini’s side-by-side multitasking feature on regular smartphones, not just tablets or foldables.
You get a new “Share screen and app content” button inside Gemini, and once activated, Gemini can interact with whatever app is open next to it in split view.
The feature is live in Google app version 17.5.42.ve.arm64, and there are no toggles or flags required.
We discovered late last year that Gemini would eventually play nice with split-screen multitasking, but the assumption was always that you’d need a foldable or a tablet to really take advantage of running your AI assistant side-by-side with another app. Well, it looks like Google is changing that expectation.
A new Google app update is quietly letting Gemini interact with other apps in split-screen mode on regular smartphones, not just on foldables or tablets like we saw back in November 2025.
We’ve spotted this feature running on a Pixel 9, and it really improves the experience if you don’t like the usual Gemini overlay blocking your screen.
This capability appears to be tied to version 17.5.42.ve.arm64 of the Google app. While there are no flags to toggle, the functionality is live and surprisingly robust for a quiet rollout.
To use it, open Gemini in split-screen mode next to another app. Now, instead of just a blank chat window, you’ll see a new option on the Gemini home screen and in chats called “Share screen and app content.”
Tapping this triggers a glowing, colored animation followed by a “Sharing” text indicator. This is your cue that Gemini is now viewing the other half of your screen.
However, do note that Gemini cheats a little bit depending on what you are looking at. If you are running Google Chrome side-by-side, Gemini doesn’t actually scan the browser’s visual pixels. Instead, it grabs the URL of the tab you have open, similar to the “Ask this page” function you get with the overlay.
... continue reading