Google AI Edge: Gemma 4 Arrives on iPhone

Google recently unveiled its AI Edge application, designed to run its Gemma artificial intelligence models directly on iPhones. Although the app's name may seem unappealing, it promises a high-quality user experience.

The app supports the Gemma 4 models, including the E2B and E4B versions, as well as some models from the Gemma 3 family. The E2B model, for instance, requires a download of 2.54 GB but stands out for its speed and efficiency.

Among the features offered, the app allows users to ask questions about images and perform 30-second audio transcriptions, leveraging the capabilities of the Gemma 4 models. A demonstration of "skills" is also included, showcasing the use of tools through eight interactive widgets, each presented as an HTML page. These widgets include an interactive map, a cooking adventure, a hash calculation, a text generator, a mood tracker, a mnemonic password, a Wikipedia query, and a QR code.

However, the app is not without its flaws. During testing, adding a follow-up prompt caused the app to freeze, highlighting stability issues.

It is noteworthy that Google is the first local model provider to release an official app for testing its models on iPhone. However, a major drawback is the lack of permanent logs, making conversations with the app ephemeral.