Google Gemini: Ideas and Opinions — Chapter #02

In March 2025, we published an article on this project with ideas and opinions for enhancing Google Gemini. Here, we are publishing our second article with ideas and recommendations aimed at improving Google Gemini's over-all usability.

Table of Contents

1. Enable Prompt Copying
2. Inline Response Mode
3. Response Convergence Point or Format Lock-in
4. See also

① Enable Prompt Copying (Browser)

In our previous article, we wrote about the absence of an easy way to reuse a prompt. Other than the "Reuse" option, it is also important for users to have an easy option to copy their own prompts. At present, AI responses might not be entirely accurate always, and users might need to ask the same or similar questions repeatedly. Additionally, users may want to reuse a particular question in the same or in different thread (or outside Gemini). At present, there is not an easy way to copy and paste a user's prompt. On Google Gemini, a lengthy prompt is displayed in a collapsed box, making selection difficult. This makes the copying more cumbersome. Hence, implementing a "copy" option for user prompts, similar to the feature available for code blocks and documents in the AI's responses, would be very useful.
Note: On Gemini mobile app, the prompt copy option is available.

② Inline Response Mode

Google Gemini, similar to other generative AI models, follows an instant messaging (chat) format. This would be useful to incorporate an inline response feature, similar to how one can select and respond to a specific message in instant messaging applications. This inline response option would be particularly beneficial in two scenarios:

1. Clarity in lengthy threads: A conversation thread might contain numerous messages, and in such scenario, users could quickly highlight a specific message to clearly point out the subject of their next query or the message they are referencing.
2. Targeted modifications in long responses: When Google Gemini gives a lengthy answer and a user wants to suggest a modification to a specific section, they could quickly highlight a particular portion, and ask their questions around it.

③ Response Convergence Point or Format Lock-in

This is a common experience when interacting with Google Gemini that achieving the desired output format and structure can be a time-taking iterative process. Let us consider the following interaction:

1. User asks a question.

2. Google Gemini gives an initial response.

3. User suggests a specific modification or change.

4. Google Gemini revises the answer accordingly but introduces another error.

5. The user highlights the new error and requests a further correction.

6. Google Gemini makes that requested correction.

This cycle of response and refinement might take place several times. Finally, Google Gemini produces an answer that perfectly aligns with the user's specified format, structure, and requirements. We can identify this point as the "Response Convergence Point."

At this point of convergence, a helpful next step would be to "lock in" this desired format. We have noted that explicitly asking Gemini to "follow this exact format in future answers" doesn't ensure consistent adherence. Gemini still deviate quite often, necessitating the entire refinement process to begin from the scratch.

We need "inline response", "convergence point". 

To reduce repetitive effort, especially when someone is working with large datasets and similar queries, the ability to lock in this "Response Convergence Point" should be beneficial. Possibly, users might have a way to tag and label a satisfactory response format for Gemini's and their own future reference. This would significantly streamline workflows and ensure consistency in subsequent questions and answers.

See also

• Google Gemini — Ideas and Opinions #01, the first chapter of this series

NPCI's UPI Mandate Validity for General Payments and Consent Management

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an Indian public sector entity, owned by the Reserve Bank of India, has significantly empowered Indian citizens over the years. In the past decade, NPCI's diverse initiatives and services have revolutionised digital payments for individual and retail users across India.

Among the diverse services, NPCI provides "UPI Autopay," a feature that allows users to automate recurring payments from their bank accounts using UPI. While, this is a helpful method to settle payments there is an area that probably needs attention. 

UPI Mandate Validity

According to a circular NPCI/UPI/OC-123/2021-2022 (archived copy), the merchants are advised to create the recurring payment mandates with a maximum validity of 30 years from the start date, a mandate widely followed by the services. 

We have tried the autopay options of several popular services. The following table shows the UPI mandate duration for some of these, including OTT platforms—

Merchant	Autopay Duration	Autopay Check
Discovery+	10 Years	Image
Gaana	15 Year	Image
JioHotstar	30 Years	Image
Netflix	30 Years	Image
SonyLiv	10 Years	Image
Tata Play	13 Years	Image
The Times of India+	10 Years	Image

Our review of various products and services show a fixed mandate duration of 10–30 years. There is no option for customising this mandate. Groww, an asset management company states— "The AutoPay duration is set to 30 years to ensure a smooth repayment experience." 

We can categorise an auto-payment into two categories—

1. Loans and Obligations (Existing Products): Autopay mandates for ongoing financial obligations such as housing loans, personal loans, and car loans, where a user avails the service first, and gradually makes payments.
2. General and Usage-Based (Flexible Services): Autopay for services where payment is tied to usage. Both the merchant and the user can terminate the service at any point.

Now—

While a 30-year mandate might be justifiable for long-term obligations like loan repayments. For simple services such as OTT subscriptions a forced 10 or 30 year UPI mandate seems excessive. Although users can cancel these subscriptions anytime, there should be an option for customized consent.

Suggestions

We suggest to categorise payments as "Payment First, Service Later" (PFSL) and "Service First, Payment Later" (SFPL). We could also classify them as "Obligation" and "General," or based on the total payment amount.

For PFSL, especially simple subscriptions,  any mandate exceeding 5 years is unnecessary. Importantly, users must have an option to customize the mandate duration for the payments.

This could be implemented with a "minimum" and a "suggested" mandatory duration. For example, if "ServiceA" sets a 10-year mandate with a 2-year minimum, during activation, users should be able to customise the duration to any period between 2 and 10 years.

"I wanted a simple OTT subscription,
and they want a 30 years' promise."

Conclusion

The suggested consent management option will be in alignment with the Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) bill. More importantly this will enable users to make more informed decisions about their subscriptions and payments.

JioHotstar and the Disruptive Advertisements in Mobile and Super Plans

Reliance Jio has played an important role in transforming India's internet and telecom landscape in the past decade, and has made internet access more affordable. In 2025, Reliance Industries collaborated with the Walt Disney Company and their Indian media assets to form JioHotstar. According to a report published in The Mint, Reliance Industries owns 60% stake in the new venture, while Disney Company retains 37% stake. 

Reliance Jio's history of introducing exciting offers, from free (and then low-cost) internet to free IPL streaming on JioCinema, has consistently benefited Indian users. With Reliance's involvement in the JioHotstar venture, it is expected that the subscribers will experience an enhanced and more affordable service.

We have been using Reliance Jio and Jio's OTT platform for a long time. We are also very excited with the JioHotstar venture. However, there is a potential issue that could negatively impact the overall user experience. In this blog post we will describe the specific hindrance.

Observations

JioHotstar has been using the same multi-tiered subscription model that Disney Hotstar used earlier. This subscription structure includes tiers like the Mobile Plan and Super Plan, and the higher-tier JioHotstar Premium. The Mobile and Super Plans are "ad-supported," meaning users will see frequent advertisements. To get rid of the advertisements, subscribers need to opt in for the Premium tier. This multi-tiered subscription model might be a standard business approach. However, the advertisements within the lower-tier JioHotstar subscriptions are diminishing the over-all user experience. Here are our observations—

1. Users prefer OTT content because those are mainly advertisement-free. The imposition of advertisements, even after purchasing a subscription, significantly damages the viewing experience.
2. Moreover, the sheer volume of advertisements is problematic. For instance, a 40-minute web series with four advertisement slots, each containing two 10–15 second advertisements, results in too much interruptions.
3. The advertisements are generally automatically placed at specific time intervals. During crucial scenes sudden advertisements damage the excitement of the scenes, and undermine the emotional impact.
4. The multi-tiered subscription approach may not resonate well with Indian viewers. This model also might not be in alignment with Reliance Jio's service pattern, which prioritises providing a seamless viewing experience for its users.
5. It is to be noted that currently a large number of advertisements are placeholders in nature and those show trailers or clippings available on the same platform.

Suggestions

Following the observations above, we offer the following suggestions. Please consider one, more, or all of the suggestions below—

1. Single, Unified option: We suggest to simplify the subscription model to a single, unified option. This could be priced between the current Super and Premium tiers. This would resolve the frustration of forced advertisements within a paid subscription.
2. Limit number of advertisements: If the current multi-tiered subscription model is continued, we urge a reduction in the frequency and duration of advertisements. Possibly there should not be more than 15 seconds of ads per 30 minutes of viewing. There could be models like "One advertisement break per web series" or "Two advertisement breaks per movie".
3. Placement of advertisements: Placement of advertisements is also important. Please ensure that the sudden advertisements do damage the excitement of crucial scenes. Possibly, reducing the number of advertisements will help here. This could also be achieved by strategising advertisement placement zones within the videos.
4. Benefits for Jio Users: The Jio mobile networks users might get some benefit. They are already paying for Jio mobile services. Possibly the ads-free option could be included in the basic plans for Jio users.
5. Rewards and User Engagement: Similar to JioRewards, please offer incentives and rewards, such as "Earn Ads-free minutes" where a user will be rewarded upon completion of tasks, or for their over-all engagement (daily login, shares, comments etc.).

   

   Too many ads, specially during crucial scenes  may damage user's experience

        Too many ads, specially during crucial scenes 

   may damage user's experience

Conclusion

Not just another OTT platform, JioHotstar definitely has potential to take the OTT experience in India to the next level. We anticipate the suggested tweaks will improve the experience of the users.