Google Expands Gemini Deep Research to iOS Platform

Google's AI assistant Gemini now offers the Deep Research feature on both Android and iPhone devices, though it remains exclusive to paid subscribers of Gemini Advanced. This feature can generate relatively detailed research reports and was initially launched as a web-only option in December last year. Last week, it expanded to Android, and more recently, it has become available on iOS.

Previously, Google introduced the Deep Research feature into the Android version of Gemini. Now, this functionality is also rolling out to iPhone users who are subscribed to Gemini Advanced. The Deep Research function leverages advanced reasoning and long-text context understanding capabilities to act as a research assistant, exploring complex topics and compiling reports for users. It represents Gemini's first "agent-based" feature, which was initially made available on gemini.google.com back in December.

When using this feature, users need to pose a research question, which can be lengthy and involve multiple components. Gemini will then provide a multi-step plan that users can modify or delete as needed. After clicking "Start Research," Gemini spends an average of 5 to 10 minutes searching online, browsing websites, and conducting new searches based on acquired information. This process repeats several times.

More intricate reports may take longer to complete, but users can exit or close the app after initiating the research. Once finished, the Gemini app will send a notification, and users can revisit the report via their chat history. The report is organized into sections, including relevant tables (if applicable) and sources listed at the bottom. Additionally, users can conveniently export the report to Google Docs.

The Deep Research feature is currently powered by Gemini 1.5 Pro. Google plans to transition to Gemini 2.0 Pro once it exits its experimental phase, though the exact timeline for the upgrade remains unclear. In the model selector within the iPhone app, users can see options such as "1.5 Pro with Deep Research," Gemini 2.0 Flash, the new 2.0 experimental model, and the soon-to-be-retired 1.5 series models over the next few weeks.

It's important to note that the Deep Research feature imposes limits on the number of daily research requests and concurrent running requests. The Gemini app informs users about the remaining number of research requests available for the day.