Google’s new AI tool for iOS makes complex web text easier to understand
The tool is powered by Gemini 1.5 and a text-rewriting approach developed by Google Research.
The internet is packed with information, but not all of it is written in a way that’s easy to grasp. Whether you’re diving into a medical article, tech deep-dive, or academic research, it’s common to run into language that feels more confusing than helpful. That’s exactly the kind of friction Google is trying to smooth out with its latest feature: Simplify.
Now rolling out in the Google app for iOS, Simplify uses AI to rewrite dense or technical text on web pages into something more understandable, all without making you leave the page. You just highlight the section that’s giving you trouble, tap the Simplify icon, and the app instantly generates a clearer version of the content.
Google built this tool using its Gemini AI model and a text-rewriting approach developed by Google Research. It is powered by Gemini 1.5, a model Google says is built specifically for “minimally-lossy” simplification, which basically means it rewrites the text without skipping important details or introducing mistakes.
An example from Google’s research shows how it works. A sentence like:
“The complex pathology of this condition involves emphysematous destruction of lung parenchyma...” gets rewritten as: “This condition involves damage to lung tissue from emphysema, a disease that harms the air sacs in the lungs.”
While Apple already has Apple Intelligence writing tools built directly into iOS 18, offering things like rewriting, summarising, and proofreading across native and third-party apps, Google is leaning into reading support instead. Simplify is focused on making the web itself easier to read, particularly when you're trying to understand something new or complex.
There’s also a strategic layer to all this. With ongoing antitrust pressure from the U.S. Justice Department over its dominance in search, especially its deals with Apple, features like this may become more important strategically. If Google is eventually forced to give up its default search position on devices like the iPhone, tools like Simplify could help it retain users by offering something they can’t get elsewhere.
For now, Simplify is only available in the Google app on iPhones. There’s no Android or desktop version, and Google hasn’t announced any specific rollout plans beyond iOS. A spokesperson simply said they’re looking to expand the feature to more products in the future.
Louis Eriakha
