Gemini learns to use Android apps on Samsung S26 phones to order food, rides, and more

Google’s Gemini assistant has picked up a new skill. It can now run Android apps on your behalf, without a ton of human intervention. The feature, called task automation, is now rolling out to Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup.

With this feature, Gemini can now carry out parts of an action inside an app after you ask for it with a voice command. Think ordering lunch, booking a ride, or adding items to a cart without tapping through every screen yourself.

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This agentic AI feature first appeared as a preview when the S26 series launched earlier this year, and it is now going live for users.

Gemini starts doing the legwork inside apps

The new system works through what Google calls screen automation. When triggered, Google Gemini takes temporary control of an app’s interface and navigates it in the background.

In one example shared during testing, a voice request to order a spicy chicken sandwich from Popeyes through Uber Eats prompted Gemini to open the app, add the item to the cart, and move through several screens automatically.

The assistant does not complete the purchase though. Once the order reaches the checkout stage, Gemini sends a notification and hands control back to the user to confirm the payment. The idea is that the assistant handles the repetitive tapping while you finish the final step.

It can even skip certain screens, such as add-on menus, to reach the final order page more quickly. In early testing the system worked reasonably well, although it is clearly still evolving.

A small but important step toward agentic AI

Right now, the list of compatible apps is fairly limited. Gemini currently supports task automation with a handful of services including Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Starbucks. More apps are expected to join later. Google says compatible services will appear automatically in Gemini’s settings based on what is installed on the phone.

For now, the feature is rolling out on Samsung’s latest flagship devices, but it is also expected to arrive on Pixel models including the Google Pixel 10, Google Pixel 10 Pro, and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Whether this actually saves time is another question. Adding items to a cart manually may still be quicker for some people. But the broader idea is that an assistant can handle routine steps while you focus on something else; a small preview of how more capable “agentic” AI might behave on phones in the future.

What do you think of this feature? Drop a comment with your thoughts.