The new Gemini Intelligence that Google unveiled last week at Android Show 2026 is certainly something many Android users are eagerly anticipating, but its minimum hardware requirements may be higher than you’d expect. If your Android phone isn’t among the most flagship models available right now, you likely won’t be able to use it. According to foreign media reports, not only does the entire Pixel 9 lineup likely lack support, but even Samsung’s flagship foldable from last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, doesn’t meet the requirements. This essentially means that the vast majority of 2025 flagship phones on the market won’t be on the supported list.
What exactly is Gemini Intelligence? What can it do?
Before we get into the specs and phone models, let me quickly explain what Gemini Intelligence is, in case you’re not familiar with it yet.
Gemini Intelligence is not a brand-new single feature, but rather a unified name Google uses to bring together AI capabilities that “only the most powerful hardware can run.”
Android 正在從一個作業系統，轉變成一個 intelligence system（智慧系統）。
Simply put, when using Android before, you had to do everything manually. After upgrading to Gemini Intelligence, it becomes “proactively helping you do things.” The design language also aligns with the recently updated Material 3 Expressive, using visual effects to indicate whether Gemini is listening, thinking, or has already started doing something.
Additionally, Gemini Intelligence doesn’t send commands to the cloud for processing either—it uses a hybrid “on-device AI” + “cloud AI” architecture, which is why its hardware requirements are so high.
The model running on the device side is Gemini Nano v3, a compact Gemini model that Google has optimized for smartphones. For apps to call this model, they need an Android AI Core system service in between, which you can think of as an AI router at the Android system layer.
According to the details of the first wave of Gemini Intelligence released so far, they can be roughly organized into five main features. (For a more complete introduction, please refer to our previous report:Google announces major Android upgrade: Gemini Intelligence fully integrated, Android 17 and automotive systems）
- Cross-app multi-step automation:
Previously, Gemini was only capable of multi-step operations like ordering food or booking rides on specific apps, and only on the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10. Now it’s been upgraded to “see the screen as input.” For example, if you write a long shopping list in your notes, you can long-press the power button to summon Gemini and say “add all these items to my cart for delivery,” and it will automatically convert the list into a shopping cart. Or if you see a travel brochure in a hotel lobby, you can snap a photo and tell Gemini “find me similar itineraries on Expedia for a group of 6,” and it will run through the entire process in the app—all you have to do is confirm at the end. - Gemini Smart Browsing in Chrome:
Starting in late June, Android Chrome will have full built-in Gemini, helping you research, summarize, and compare across web pages. It’ll also come with Chrome auto browse, letting AI agents handle your errands like making reservations. - Smart Autofill:
Google’s Autofill has been upgraded to understand complex form fields and pull data from other apps you authorize and link to fill them in. - Gboard Rambler Voice Input Gets Major Upgrade:
Previously, when using voice input, saying “um…”, “yeah”, or “uh” would all be transcribed verbatim. Rambler uses Gemini to filter out these filler words. Google gives an example: if you’re reading a shopping list “apples, bananas, oranges” and suddenly say “oh, actually no apples,” Rambler would remove apples from the final message. It also supports mixing multiple languages in the same message, like Chinese-English code-switching, where Gemini’s multilingual model automatically switches between languages. - Create My Widget: Make Widgets Just by Talking
This is Google’s first step to bring generative interface to Android. In the widget menu, you’ll see a new “Create” button. Tap it and you can describe what you want using natural language. For example: if you often need to prepare meals, just tell it “recommend three high-protein meal prep recipes per week,” and it will generate a custom dashboard widget that you can place on your home screen and resize freely.
Minimum specifications required for Android phones to run Gemini Intelligence, and a list of compatible devices
According to foreign media 9to5Google reportsOn Google’s Gemini Intelligence introduction page, in the footnotes at the bottom, they list the complete minimum system requirements, totaling eight items:
- Flagship chip (Google uses “flagship chip”)
- 12GB of RAM or more
- AI Core Support
- Supports Gemini Nano v3 and above
- Will receive at least 5 major Android version updates
- At least 6 years of security updates (quarterly or more)
- Passing the crash rate quality threshold
- Quality items via other devices
Just the first four items alone already show that the vast majority of flagships before 2025 don’t support it.
Additionally, Google on the developer page alsoPublish a listWhich Android devices actually support the Gemini Nano v3 Prompt API?
The following are devices that support Gemini Nano v3, almost all of which are new models from 2026:
- Google：Pixel 10、Pixel 10 Pro、Pixel 10 Pro XL、Pixel 10 Pro Fold
- Samsung：Galaxy S26、Galaxy S26+、Galaxy S26 Ultra
- OnePlus：OnePlus 15、OnePlus 15R
- OPPO：Find X9、Find X9 Pro、Find X8、Find X8 Pro、Reno 14 Pro 5G、Reno 15 Pro 5G、Reno 15 Pro Mini 5G、Reno 15 Pro Max 5G
- Vivo：vivo X200T、vivo X200、vivo X200 Pro、vivo X300、vivo X300 Pro
- Honor：Honor Magic 8 Pro
- iQOO：iQOO 15
- Motorola：Signature
- Realme：realme GT 7T
Here are the devices that only support Gemini Nano v2:
- Google：Pixel 9、Pixel 9 Pro、Pixel 9 Pro XL、Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- Samsung：Galaxy Z Fold7、Galaxy Z TriFold
- OnePlus：OnePlus 13、OnePlus 13s
- OPPO：Find N5
- Honor：Magic V5、Magic 7、Magic 7 Pro
- iQOO：iQOO 13
- Motorola：Razr 60 Ultra、Razr Ultra 2025
- POCO：POCO F7 Ultra、POCO F8 Pro、POCO F8 Ultra、POCO X7 Pro、POCO X8 Pro
- Realme：realme GT 7 Pro
- Vivo：vivo X200 FE、vivo T4 Ultra
- Xiaomi：Xiaomi 14T Pro、Xiaomi 15、Xiaomi 15T、Xiaomi 15T Pro、Xiaomi 15 Ultra、Xiaomi 17、Xiaomi 17 Ultra、Xiaomi Pad Mini
Surprisingly, even Google’s own Pixel 9 series, which has been on the market for less than a year, is not on the supported list. Some netizens commented: “Is Nano v3 not supporting Pixel 9 a hardware limitation, or is Google deliberately trying to force everyone to upgrade to Pixel 10?”
However, 9to5Google adds that this developer page is about the “Prompt API support list,” which cannot 100% represent that devices after Pixel 9 will never be able to use Gemini Intelligence.
Source: KOCPC Chinese