Updated
Updated · PhoneArena · Jun 3
Google Opens Gemini 3.5 Thinking Modes to All Users, Keeping Deep Think Behind $100 Tier
Updated
Updated · PhoneArena · Jun 3

Google Opens Gemini 3.5 Thinking Modes to All Users, Keeping Deep Think Behind $100 Tier

3 articles · Updated · PhoneArena · Jun 3

Summary

  • Google has made Gemini’s Standard and Extended thinking modes free for all users across web, Android and iOS, expanding access to features it began rolling out around I/O 2026.
  • Gemini 3.5 Flash and Flash Light now let users switch thinking levels in model settings, with Extended designed for deeper reasoning and more complex responses.
  • Extended access still faces a practical limit: it consumes tokens quickly, and Google’s variable token use by task complexity has already triggered complaints from users hitting quota caps.
  • Gemini 3.1 Pro’s higher-end Deep Think remains restricted to AI Ultra subscribers, a plan priced at $100-$200 per month.
  • The broader push toward heavier reasoning models also raises cost and environmental questions, with Google data centers emitting about 3.8 million cubic meters of carbon dioxide annually.

Insights

As AI's 'thinking' consumes more power, what is the true environmental cost of a single complex query?
Is the race for smarter AI forcing tech giants to abandon their climate promises for fossil fuels?