GoKawiilThe future of Android is here, and it looks a lot like Gemini Intelligence. But, as with most paradigm shifts, there’s a catch: the looming hardware requirements are already leaving plenty of phones behind. Starting with a minimum of 12GB of RAM, many affordable devices simply won’t make the cut — including Google’s own budget-friendly Pixel 10a.
The bigger issue, though, is Google’s on-device AI stack. Gemini Intelligence relies on the tiny but mighty Nano v3 on-device model. According to Google’s ML Kit support documentation, the Pixel 10 is currently the only Google-branded series that supports it. The Pixel 9 lineup — and seemingly everything older — is stuck on Nano v2.
I installed the AICore developer preview on last year’s flagship to confirm it myself. Even developers can’t access Nano v3 or the upcoming Nano v4 on barely two-year-old hardware, which suggests support isn’t coming anytime soon. And it’s not just Pixels: many phones launched in 2025 and even some in early 2026, including the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, also appear limited to older on-device models — at least for now.
What worries you most about agentic AI on smartphones? 505 votes Losing control 18 % Losing curiosity/discovery 11 % Privacy and security risks 51 % Nothing, I’m excited for it 20 %
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Pixel 9 series and other recent flagships will never support Nano v3. These models can theoretically be upgraded via over-the-air and/or AICore updates, and Google may backport Gemini Intelligence in the future (it hasn’t commented either way). The problem is that users have no control over that process, and Google hasn’t clarified what hardware or software requirements stand in the way. We don’t know whether the barriers are technical, commercial, or simply a matter of OEM effort.
What this does reinforce is something Android users are increasingly running into: long-term update promises don’t guarantee access to every new feature.
Seven-year update promises feel hollow in the age of AI fragmentation.
AI features exist in an especially gray area. Google may be positioning Gemini as central to the latest Pixel experience, but technically, these features sit outside core Android. Gemini is effectively a bolt-on layer rapidly augmenting the OS, not something bundled into AOSP itself. That distinction matters because it gives Google — and its hardware partners — far more flexibility in deciding which devices receive what, and allows for faster innovation than baking everything into the core.
Still, that doesn’t let Pixels off the hook.
Updates for me, but not for thee
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