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Google Rolls Out Nano Banana to Search and NotebookLM as Messages Integration Surfaces in App Code

Teardowns show an inactive banana icon in Google Messages, signaling development rather than public release.

Overview

  • Google says its Nano Banana image tool is now accessible in Search via Lens and in NotebookLM, with Photos support planned in the coming weeks.
  • App-teardown findings by AssembleDebug reported through Android Authority reveal a banana-shaped button that appears when users long-press images in Google Messages, though it currently does nothing.
  • For users in the U.S. and India, a yellow Create icon in Search enables prompt-based image edits and generation, while NotebookLM adds six visual styles including Watercolor, Papercraft, Anime, Whiteboard, Retro Print and Heritage.
  • Reports note code paths for personal chats and indications of group chat flows, but the Messages feature remains unannounced and inactive.
  • Google reports more than five billion images created with Nano Banana since August, and the tool supports natural-language edits ranging from lighting tweaks to background swaps and blending subjects.