Google surprised everyone this week by launching three new models in its Gemini family - though not the one many were waiting for.
The three new models
Gemini 3.6 Flash is the direct successor to Gemini 3.5 Flash. Its main advantage is efficiency: Google says it uses 17% fewer output tokens than its predecessor and needs fewer reasoning steps to complete complex tasks. Pricing drops to $1.50 per million input tokens and $7.50 for output - cheaper than the previous Flash.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is the family’s most affordable option, built for high-volume applications where cost is the priority.
Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber is a model specialized in cybersecurity, available only to governments and trusted partners. It’s trained specifically to detect and fix security vulnerabilities.
The elephant in the room: no Gemini 3.5 Pro
The most notable thing about the announcement isn’t what arrived - it’s what didn’t. Gemini 3.5 Pro, the flagship model Google promised for June 2026, remains in limited testing with no confirmed launch date.
Meanwhile, OpenAI and Anthropic have kept pushing forward with their most powerful models, putting pressure on Google to speed up the release of its most capable model.
What it means for users
For most developers, Gemini 3.6 Flash offers a real improvement in efficiency and cost. The 17% cut in output tokens can mean significant savings for high-volume applications.
The Cyber model opens Google up to the government security market, a high-value segment where competitors like Anthropic are already actively working.