In a nutshell: Google must grant rival AI assistants full access to camera, microphone, wake-words, and system functions in Android 18 by August 1, 2027.
The European Commission has ordered Google to grant Gemini competitors the same access to Android devices as its own assistant. This includes camera, microphone, screen content, and background operations.
The European Commission has compelled Google to open the hardware interfaces of Android to competitors of its AI assistant Gemini. This particularly affects access to camera, microphone, screen content, as well as the ability to set wake-words that function even with the display turned off. Furthermore, rival assistants must be granted the capability to control other apps in the background by simulating taps and key inputs.
Implementation is tied to Android 18, the next major release. Google must complete this opening by August 1, 2027. This measure is part of European regulation of monopolistic positions in the digital market and aims to remedy competitive disadvantages resulting from Gemini’s prioritized integration.
From a compliance perspective, data protection and security officials must incorporate the new access mechanisms into their risk assessments. Opening microphone, camera, and system functions to third parties requires clear control mechanisms and transparency regarding data flows to minimize abuse potential.
Source: thehackernews.com · Published July 17, 2026
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