Gemini mobile app's audio experience is currently broken for multitasking workflows.
I’ve been using Gemini daily for my workflow, but the mobile experience has become a significant bottleneck due to how the app handles audio playback. I’m sharing this because the current implementation is frustratingly limited for anyone trying to actually get work done.
Here are the specific issues that make the "Play" feature feel like a beta test rather than a functional tool:
- Background Audio Failure: The audio playback stops immediately when the screen locks or when switching to another app. Gemini should behave like a media player (like Spotify or YouTube Music) if it’s going to offer audio output. Treating it as a static browser tab that needs constant screen attention is counter-productive.
- Multitasking Blockade: You cannot perform basic multitasking (split-screen or app switching) while Gemini is reading back an answer. If you navigate away, the audio cuts out. This is a massive "no-go" for productivity.
- The "Active Generation" Conflict: If you decide to send a follow-up prompt while Gemini is reading the previous response, the audio session is killed. You cannot listen to one response while queueing up the next task.
Why this matters:
For those of us using AI as an assistant to clear through tasks, Gemini is effectively holding us hostage in the app. You’re forced to keep the screen on, stay in the foreground, and wait for the audio to finish before you can ask another question.
It feels like Google designed this feature for someone who just wants to "listen to a summary" and put their phone down, but completely ignored how professionals actually use these tools.
My question to the dev team / community: Is there any roadmap to treat Gemini’s audio output as a persistent background process? The current state makes the "Play" button a gimmick rather than a productivity feature.