Google introduced Search Live, a new feature within the Google app for both iOS and Android. This development enables users to engage in voice conversations with the Search function, mirroring capabilities found in Gemini Live. The feature is presently accessible only to users located in the United States who are participants in the AI Mode experiment within Google Labs.
Search Live facilitates a continuous, voice-based dialogue with the Google Search engine. Google characterizes this functionality as suitable for users who are actively engaged in other tasks or are in motion. To initiate a conversational search, users open the Google app, tap a designated “Live” icon, and then vocalize their query. Subsequent questions can be posed continuously as part of the ongoing interaction. The interface provides direct links on the screen, allowing users to access additional web content related to their search queries.
The functionality of Search Live extends to background operation, permitting conversations to continue even when the user navigates away from the Google app to utilize other applications. An integrated “Transcript” option allows users to transition the conversational mode into a text-based format.
Additionally, an “AI Mode history” feature enables users to review prior responses and resume conversations from previously accessed points. Google states that Search Live operates on a customized iteration of Gemini, engineered with advanced voice processing capabilities. Future enhancements, anticipated in the coming months, will enable users to activate their device’s camera during conversations, facilitating real-time visual input, a feature consistent with Gemini Live’s existing functionality.
