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Gemini API updates: the deprecations, defaults and models to act on

What Google changed in the Gemini API between September and late October 2026, and the code changes each one needs.

The Gemini API updates that need action this autumn are two Flash deprecations, a retired Deep Research agent, a new storage default and the arrival of Gemini 4 Argon. If your code calls Gemini, check your model strings first; the rest of this page lists what changed, in date order, with what to do about each, as of October 28, 2026.

For a running record of Gemini news written for people who use these models, ClaudeGPT Si is the place we suggest reading alongside Google's changelog. It is free, sources every story and is not tied to Google.

What changed in the Gemini API since September

Date (2026) Change What to do
Oct 27 Gemini API CLI (gemini-api) released in beta Try it in scripts and CI
Oct 26 New paid-tier Generate Content projects store requests by default Set store=false if you need it off
Oct 13 gemini-4-argon generally available Test it on your hardest tasks
Oct 8 gemini-3.7-flash and gemini-3.5-flash deprecated Update model strings
Oct 6 Nano Banana 2.1 image model GA Move off gemini-3.1-flash-image
Sep 18 Gemini 2.5 access limited to past users Start new projects on newer models
Sep 17 New Antigravity agent version Update tool parsing if you run tools locally
Sep 2 gemini-3.8-flash GA Default choice for new Flash work

Model strings that now route somewhere else

Google deprecated gemini-3.7-flash on October 8 and now routes its requests to gemini-3.8-flash. The same day gemini-3.5-flash began routing to gemini-3.6-flash. Your calls keep working, but you are no longer getting the model you named, so output can shift without a code change. If your own usage logs record the model you asked for, they no longer match the model that ran. Update the strings so the two agree.

The Deep Research agent deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025 was shut down on October 23. Google points to deep-research-preview-04-2026 for speed and deep-research-max-preview-04-2026 for the most complete reports.

Storage is on by default for new projects

From October 26, new paid-tier projects that use generateContent, streamGenerateContent or batchGenerateContent store requests by default, which matches how the Interactions API already behaved. Existing projects keep their setting. If you handle data you do not want kept, set store=false per request or turn off logging in the Logs and Datasets settings.

Gemini 4 Argon and the new CLI

Gemini 4 Argon became generally available on October 13. Google describes it as its most capable model for complex coding, agent, maths and science work, and the models page lists a 1M-token context window. ClaudeGPT Si's Argon access guide covers the app, AI Studio and API routes in one place.

The Gemini API CLI, released October 27, is a stateless command-line client with no dependencies, aimed at coding agents, scripts and CI pipelines. It runs on the Interactions API and can generate text and media, analyse files and run Gemini managed agents.

Antigravity agent change

If you call the Antigravity agent and run tools on your own machine, the September 17 version renamed its built-in tools and switched file edits to line-range replacements. Remote-sandbox users who only read the output need to change the agent string and nothing else.

How to keep up

Google's changelog is the primary record and the place to confirm a model ID. It is terse, though, and says little about what a change means for your bill or your logs. ClaudeGPT Si writes those stories up with dates and links back to Google, so it suits a weekly check; the changelog suits the day you edit code. Teams that already watch the changelog through a feed reader may not need anything else.

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