Google launches Gemini Drop with image editing and live guidance

Google this month rolled out a broad September update to its Gemini artificial intelligence platform, adding new image editing tools, real‑time camera guidance, collaborative custom assistants, easier app building and model improvements that Google says make the system faster and better at handling visuals. The company is packaging the changes as a Gemini Drop intended to highlight recent feature additions across the app, developer channels and Chrome integration ahead of a planned hardware reveal in October.

Among the most eye catching additions is a new image editing model called Nano Banana, designed to let users transform photos with simple text commands. Google says Nano Banana can change backgrounds, combine elements, apply artistic style transfers and perform batch edits, turning tasks that once required professional software into near‑instant operations for casual users and creators.

Gemini Live, the feature that shares a device camera feed with the assistant, is also getting more autonomous. Google said the update enables the assistant to point out areas to focus on and offer context aware, step‑by‑step guidance for chores such as home repairs, art projects and...