Why Google Must Convince Apple to Let Us Say "Hey Gemini"
The biggest barrier to using Gemini on an iPhone isn't the app; it's the wake word. If Google can convince Apple to allow "Hey Gemini," they don't just win a feature; they win the brand war for intelligence.
The Search partnership was about revenue. The Intelligence partnership is about survival. Google needs to be the default brain of the iPhone, even if Siri is the mouth.
Inspiration: Realizing that I use Siri because it’s easy, not because it’s smart. And realizing that I would use Gemini 100x more if I could just speak to it without unlocking my phone.
The upcoming collaboration between Google Gemini and Apple Intelligence is the most critical deal in tech history.
It is far more historic than their Search partnership (worth $20B/year).
Search is a utility. Intelligence is an Operating System.
Right now, the default expectation is that Apple Intelligence will use Siri as the "Gatekeeper."
You ask Siri, and if Siri is stumped, it hands off the query to ChatGPT (or Gemini). That puts Google in the backseat.
It makes Gemini a "Vendor," not a "Partner."
The "Hey Gemini" Pivot
Google needs to push for something radical: Native Voice Triggering.
They need to convince Apple to allow users to say "Hey Gemini" to bypass Siri entirely for complex tasks.
Why would Apple agree? Retention. Apple knows Siri is behind.
They know users are frustrated. If an iPhone user can access the world’s smartest model (Gemini 1.5 Pro) seamlessly, the iPhone becomes a better device.
It stops users from switching to a Pixel just to get a smarter assistant.
It creates a "Best of Both Worlds" retention lock.
Future-Proofing Mobile Share
For Google, this is existential. If Siri becomes the only voice interface, Google loses the "Query."
They lose the intent data.
By enabling "Hey Gemini," Google keeps a direct line to the user on the world's most valuable hardware (iPhone).
It future-proofs them against losing mobile market share.
Even if you buy an iPad, Google is still your primary assistant.
The Rebrand to "Gemini"
This aligns perfectly with the rumored rebranding of Google -> Gemini. If "Gemini" becomes the verb for "Answer this complex question," Google’s brand equity skyrockets.
My Prediction: The "Hey Gemini" trigger will be the premium feature of the next iOS. Apple will sell the privacy; Google will sell the IQ.
And for the first time, the iPhone will have two brains.
