Google streamlines Gemini, YouTube and Maps now work without separate commands

Google’s Gemini AI assistant is evolving once again. In a move aimed at streamlining user experience, Google has removed the standalone ‘@Google Maps’ and ‘@YouTube’ apps from Gemini, opting instead for direct integration of these services into the assistant’s core capabilities. As reported by 9to5Google, earlier, users had to invoke specific apps within Gemini—such as typing “@YouTube” or “@Google Maps”—to access those services. Now, Gemini can natively understand and respond to queries involving directions, locations, or video content without requiring those explicit commands.

A shift toward natural interactions