In a surprising turn of events over the weekend, users of the Gemini app on both Android and iOS found themselves unable to access the much-anticipated 2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental) feature. However, fortunes have changed as the functionality has been successfully restored today, bringing a wave of relief to users eager to utilize this experimental tool.

Originally launched in December, Google’s groundbreaking reasoning model, referred to as Gemini 2.0 Flash, is designed to enhance user interactions by providing advanced reasoning capabilities. After undergoing significant updates at the Google AI Studio in January, it made its highly-publicized debut in the Gemini app in February. The last major update took place in March, enhancing efficiency and speed, alongside the introduction of document upload features.

Unfortunately, the sudden disappearance of 2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental) from the model picker left many users confused, especially since it remained functional on the web version at gemini.google.com. Fortunately, as of Monday morning (Pacific Time), the rollout to restore access has begun. Users may notice a “New” badge next to the feature, but it’s important to clarify that there hasn't been any underlying update—it's still designated as gemini-2.0-flash-thinking-exp-01-21 within AI Studio.

What's notable is that while the Gemini app offers a suite of capabilities, Gemini 2.0 Flash continues to reign as the only stable model at this time, with 2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental) being the next tier of functionality available. As anticipation builds, it remains uncertain when or if Google will make this experimental feature widely available, especially with the advent of Gemini 2.5, which is rumored to incorporate enhanced reasoning features natively.

Moreover, it's essential to highlight that Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental) is currently instrumental in powering Deep Research, a key area of innovation for the app.

Stay tuned for more updates on Gemini, and be among the first to discover the future of AI reasoning!