17-05-2025
Android 16 may get smart notification actions powered by Gemini
Notifications on Android give users a quick way to check messages and get information without having to open the app. Depending on the type of notification, you can quickly reply to a message or perform certain actions.
Like, if someone sends you a location, Android will automatically recognise it and show a button in the notification that lets you open it directly in the navigation app of your choice. To give you a quick recap, Google introduced two new features with Android 9 and Android 10 called Smart Reply and Smart Actions, which are what powers these auto generated replies and actions.
As it turns out, these notification actions may be getting the Gemini treatment with Android 16. According to a new report by Android Authority, Google was recently spotted working on a similar Gemini powered functionality called Magic Actions. While the publication wasn't able to determine the exact improvement the new feature will bring to the table, the code hints that it will replace Smart Action and Smart Reply.
When enabled, the new Magic Action feature shows a new button which may have a custom animation when it appears or is clicked.
Similar to Smart Actions, it looks like the new feature will use the built-in Notification Assistant Service, which is part of the Android System Intelligence app. The report also states that Magic Actions will most likely use Gemini AI models to generate these actions. For example, if you get a message saying that your flight has been delayed or cancelled, Magic Action may give you a quick way to call the airline's customer service despite the notification not having such information.
Apart from the much rumoured functionality, Google is also reportedly working on bringing AI powered notification summaries like iOS along with Gmail like bundled notifications that helps users better manage their alerts.
