What you need to know
- The ChatGPT beta app for Android gets a new 4 x 2 widget.
- There are five new shortcuts on the widget, only a few of which are available to ChatGPT Plus users.
- The feature is available in app beta version 1.2024.052; an official presentation is expected soon.
The ChatGPT app on Android is getting a cool new feature that’s easier for users to access — thanks to a rich new feature being added, notes Mishaal Rahman (via The Verge ).
According to Rahman, the app that carries 1.2024.052 version features a new 4 x 2 widget that features four new shortcuts, including the ability to open text, camera, image, voice prompt, or launch chat mode directly from your Android phone’s home screen.
Posted by @mishaal_rahman
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As Rahman notes, the feature has yet to officially hit the Google Play Store, and the previous version appears to be in beta. However, users can try it out by downloading it separately.
For those who are willing to try out the new widget, one thing to note is the fact that a few of them — the camera and image search queries on the widget are limited to the paid plan of the ChatGPT app, which is called ChatGPT Plus. It was introduced to American consumers in February 2023.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen ChatGPT appear on the Android home screen. At the end of January, Carl Pei announced that the ChatGPT voice assistant is being implemented on the phone’s home screen (2). The option has been further integrated into the Quick Settings panel for easy access.
If you are willing to test the beta version mentioned above, after the update, you can select the new 4 x 2 ChatGPT widget from the widget pane for your Android home screen.
ChatGPT has been one of the bigger alternatives to Google’s Gemini since its inception for Android devices even before Gemini (formerly Bard) was available for Android devices. However, the availability of the widget on iOS devices is still unclear at this time. It might make its way to the platform soon after its official launch on Android devices in the near future.