Samsung could lose its Gemini AI edge to Apple later this year

Samsung has played a major role in advancing the visibility of Google's Gemini AI. Its Galaxy devices have benefited from the AI capabilities that Google has created, but Google has vastly benefited from having the visibility and reach that only millions of Samsung Galaxy devices can provide.

Gemini is available on other Android devices as well, even if it's not as intertwined as it is on the Galaxy, and that has enabled Samsung devices to retain an edge, but it may be close to losing that edge to Apple this year.

This was revealed by none other than Google CEO Sundar Pichai himself during the ongoing search monopoly trial between the US Department of Justice and Google. Pichai's answer came in response to the questions asked by Department of Justice lawyer Veronica Onyema, who replied “Correct,” when asked about if Google would bring Gemini AI to the iPhone.

He added that Google expects to have a deal with Apple in the next few months with Gemini rolling out on iPhones by the end of this year. Pichai also revealed that he met with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss AI development, and that Cook told him Apple Intelligence would offer more third-party AI models in 2025.

Apple Intelligence primarily uses OpenAI's ChatGPT model and once Gemini arrives, users may be able to choose between the two models for various tasks. It's unclear if Google will pay Apple to have Gemini on the iPhone. Google is paying Samsung an “enormous sum” to have the Gemini AI app to be pre-installed on Galaxy phones.

The expectation exists because Google also pays Apple more than $20 billion a year just to be the default search engine on its devices. However, Apple isn't paying OpenAI anything to use its ChatGPT model, and OpenAI isn't paying anything to have access to the massive iPhone user base.

Even if money does change hands between Google and Apple for Gemini, it's unlikely we'll ever hear about it unless the topic comes up in any future lawsuit.