It looks like Gemini-exp-1206, the 2.0 Experimental Advanced model, has made an unexpected comeback in the Gemini app. As someone who tracks every tweak in Google's ecosystem, this sudden reappearance immediately caught my attention—and it’s sparking questions across the AI community.
Why Gemini-exp-1206’s Return Is a Big Deal
Google originally launched the 1206 model in December 2024, promoting it as a top-tier tool for handling advanced tasks like coding, complex math, instruction following, and high-level reasoning. It quickly became a fan favorite among users like me who rely on powerful LLMs for productivity and creativity.
However, Google later phased out this model in favor of newer experimental versions—first with 2.0 Pro Experimental in February 2025, and then 2.5 Pro Experimental just last month. Naturally, it came as a surprise when paid subscribers began spotting 1206 again in the model picker on gemini.google.com this Friday morning.
A Likely Bug—But Still Functional
At the time of writing, Gemini-exp-1206 appears at the bottom of the model selection list on desktop. It follows a subtle reordering by Google to give more visibility to 2.5 Pro. Here’s how the lineup currently looks:
- 2.0 Flash – For everyday AI tasks, includes more features
- 2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental) – Uses advanced reasoning
- 2.5 Pro (experimental) – Currently best for complex tasks
- Deep Research with 2.5 Pro – Designed for extensive research outputs
- Personalization (experimental) – Tailors responses using your search history
- 2.0 Experimental Advanced – Rebranded label for gemini-exp-1206
I noticed that Gemini 1206 runs side-by-side with 2.5 Pro, but lacks access to real-time information and certain Gemini features—just like before. It doesn’t support file uploads or third-party app integrations either.
Not Available on Mobile—Similar to Recent Flash Model Disappearance
As of now, the reappearance is limited to desktop only. Gemini-exp-1206 doesn’t show up in the Android or iOS versions of the app. That reminded me of how 2.0 Flash Thinking (experimental) quietly disappeared from mobile just this past weekend—perhaps part of ongoing internal model testing or backend reshuffling.
What Could This Mean?
While Google hasn’t confirmed anything publicly, this feels more like a temporary backend glitch than an intentional feature rollout. Still, I think it highlights how much demand there was—and still is—for the 1206 model. Users appreciate models that strike the right balance between reasoning, instruction-following, and speed.
And for me personally, using gemini-exp-1206 again felt like revisiting an old favorite. It’s not quite as powerful as 2.5 Pro, but there’s a certain elegance to how it handles mid-complexity tasks that I missed.
If you’re a Gemini Advanced user, it’s worth testing this model while it’s still accessible. Whether this is a teaser, a bug, or an unintentional leak, it gives us a glimpse at how Google continues to refine and recycle its AI capabilities behind the scenes.
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