Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai has voiced confidence that Gemini, the company’s flagship artificial intelligence platform, could soon be offered as a built-in option on Apple’s iPhones. Speaking on Wednesday during his testimony in the US government’s antitrust trial against Google, Pichai said he was hopeful an agreement with Apple could be reached by the middle of the year.
The trial, brought by the US Department of Justice, centres on allegations that Google’s business practices—particularly its multibillion-dollar deal to be the default search engine on Apple’s Safari browser—have unfairly cemented its dominance in the search market. It was during these proceedings that Pichai confirmed ongoing talks with Apple about bringing Gemini to its devices.
If successful, the move would see Gemini added alongside Apple’s own AI system, known as Apple Intelligence, which powers various features across iPhones, iPads and Macs. While Apple largely uses its proprietary AI models, it has already partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri and its Writing Tools feature, which supports text creation and editing across its operating systems.
“I’ve had a series of conversations with Tim Cook across last year,” Pichai told the court. “I’m hopeful we can get Gemini added as an option this year.” His comments highlight Google’s ambition to expand its AI reach beyond Android and into Apple’s ecosystem.
Apple and Google have collaborated for years, despite their rivalry. Google’s services were embedded into Apple devices as early as 2007, with YouTube launching as a pre-installed app on the original iPhone. The most significant tie between the two remains the Safari search engine deal—currently under legal scrutiny—which has brought billions of dollars annually to Apple.
Apple is expected to reveal its latest software updates at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), set for the week of 9 June. Should an agreement be finalised in the coming weeks, the announcement could feature alongside the launch of iOS 19, iPadOS 19 and the next version of macOS.
Bloomberg first reported discussions between Apple and Google in March last year, with the news outlet recently confirming that negotiations are ongoing and a deal is anticipated.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
