Gemini 4 tracker: Argon, Carbon and Hydrogen are all GA, with specs and prices here
As of 2026-11-12, Gemini 4 has shipped as three models: Gemini 4 Argon (gemini-4-argon), GA on 2026-10-13; Gemini 4 Carbon (gemini-4-carbon), GA on 2026-11-10; and Gemini 4 Hydrogen (gemini-4-hydrogen), GA on 2026-11-12. All three have a unified 1,048,576-token context and a default max output of 65,536 tokens (up to 1,048,576 with long decode). Argon and Carbon carry an official price of $2 per 1M input / $10 per 1M output through 2026-11-30, then $4 / $20. Hydrogen has a Free tier and costs $1.50 per 1M input / $7.50 per 1M output on the paid tier. Google's model page positions Carbon as its strongest reasoning model and Argon as the efficient Gemini 4 frontier model that spends fewer tokens per turn, and the release notes describe Hydrogen as built for everyday coding and agentic workflows. The pre-release timeline: on 2026-07-21 Google wrote on its official blog, "We have started our most ambitious pre-training run yet, for Gemini 4, and are excited by the progress." The next day, 2026-07-22, Sundar Pichai repeated the same sentence on Alphabet's Q2 2026 earnings call. QCode does not currently offer the Gemini series.
Updated 2026-11-13
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Before and after release: four checkable points
First official mention of Gemini 4
Official wording: "We have started our most ambitious pre-training run yet, for Gemini 4, and are excited by the progress." It appears in the Gemini 3.6 Flash launch post, the first time Google named the project publicly.
Repeated by the CEO on an earnings call
Sundar Pichai said the same sentence on Alphabet's Q2 2026 earnings call, ending with "we are seeing at the frontier". The same phrasing in an earnings setting means it is reviewed, official language rather than an aside.
The easiest sentence to misread
Google said pre-training has started. After pre-training come post-training, evaluations, safety review and staged rollout. No timing of any kind was given, so reading "started pre-training" as "about to ship" has nothing behind it.
3.5 Pro has still not shipped
The same post says Gemini 3.5 Pro is "currently testing with partners" and will be made "broadly available as soon as it's ready", and that Google looks "forward to releasing 3.5 Pro soon". From 2026-07-21 to this page's re-check on 2026-09-29 that is 70 days, and the official Gemini API model directory still lists no 3.5 Pro. Gemini 4 Argon reached GA on 2026-10-13; 3.5 Pro is still not on the official model page.
Where Gemini 4 stands now
As of 2026-11-12, the Gemini API release notes record three Gemini 4 models: Gemini 4 Hydrogen (gemini-4-hydrogen, GA on 2026-11-12, built for everyday coding and agentic workflows, on the Free tier and at $1.50 / $7.50 per 1M input / output tokens on the paid tier), Gemini 4 Carbon (gemini-4-carbon, GA on 2026-11-10, positioned as the strongest reasoning model) and Gemini 4 Argon (gemini-4-argon, GA on 2026-10-13, positioned as the efficient Gemini 4 frontier model that spends fewer tokens per turn). Google states that Carbon and Argon share the same 1M unified context window, built-in tools and per-token pricing, and differ in how many thinking tokens each spends per turn, with Carbon spending more. Before 2026-10-13, the entire public statement on Gemini 4 was one sentence: the most ambitious pre-training run yet has started. That confirmed three things - the project exists, it has a name, and training has begun. It did not confirm a release date, price, context length, API model id or any benchmark number. On 2026-10-13, Gemini 4 Argon (gemini-4-argon) reached GA; the official model page lists a unified 1,048,576-token context, a default max output of 65,536 tokens (up to 1,048,576 with long decode), and an official price of $2 per 1M input and $10 per 1M output through 2026-11-30, then $4 / $20. Google has reordered its version naming before: what followed 3.5 Pro were 3.6 Flash and 3.8 Flash rather than 4, and 3.5 Pro is still not on the official model page as of 2026-11-12. QCode does not currently offer the Gemini series.
From "3.5 Pro has not shipped" to Argon, Carbon and Hydrogen GA
On 2026-11-12 Gemini 4 Hydrogen (gemini-4-hydrogen) reached GA: the release notes record it that day as built for everyday coding and agentic workflows, available on the Free tier and at $1.50 / $7.50 per 1M input / output tokens on the paid tier. On 2026-11-10 Gemini 4 Carbon (gemini-4-carbon) reached GA: the release notes record it that day, the official model page now positions it as the strongest reasoning model, and Google says Argon remains the ideal choice for the majority of software engineering and knowledge work. Carbon-specific details are on /gemini-4-carbon-api-release-date. On 2026-10-13 Gemini 4 Argon reached GA, closing a three-month wait. Before that, the 2026-07-21 official post said only that the most ambitious pre-training run had started; outlets reported July 2026 and then 12 August 2026 for 3.5 Pro, both dates passed without a release, and Google never confirmed either one. In the same period, Gemini 3.7 Flash was deprecated on 2026-10-08 and automatically routed to 3.8 Flash. Three things are checkable now: Argon's model id is gemini-4-argon, the context is 1,048,576 tokens, and the official price is $2 / $10 through 2026-11-30. As of 2026-11-12, 3.5 Pro is still absent from the official model list.
Timeline (all checkable)
Google launches Gemini 3.6 Flash and others; the post closes by naming Gemini 4 and saying the most ambitious pre-training run yet has begun, while 3.5 Pro is testing with partners.
Sundar Pichai repeats the same wording on Alphabet's Q2 2026 earnings call, adding "we are seeing at the frontier".
On 2026-09-02 Google shipped Gemini 3.8 Flash and 3.8 Flash Cyber; 3.7 Flash was deprecated on 2026-10-08 and automatically routed to 3.8 Flash; on 2026-10-13, Gemini 4 Argon (gemini-4-argon) reached GA. Compared with the 07-21 pre-training sentence, the official position has now landed; 3.5 Pro is still not on the official model page as of 2026-10-20.
Three tiers: released, unpublished, and the QCode status
Officially confirmed (quotable)
1. On 2026-10-13 Gemini 4 Argon (gemini-4-argon) reached GA, positioned in that day's release notes for complex coding, agentic, math and science tasks. 2. On 2026-11-10 Gemini 4 Carbon (gemini-4-carbon) reached GA, positioned on the official model page as the strongest reasoning model and sharing the same 1M unified context, built-in tools and per-token pricing as Argon. 3. On 2026-11-12 Gemini 4 Hydrogen (gemini-4-hydrogen) reached GA, and the release notes say it is available on the Free tier and at $1.50 input / $7.50 output per 1M tokens on the paid tier. 4. All three list a unified context of 1,048,576 tokens, a default max output of 65,536 tokens and long decode up to 1,048,576. 5. The official price of Argon and Carbon is $2 input / $10 output per 1M tokens through 2026-11-30, then $4 / $20 from 2026-12-01. 6. The pre-release record: the 2026-07-21 blog post first named Gemini 4 and said pre-training had started, and the 2026-07-22 earnings call repeated it; on 2026-09-29 (model directory updated 2026-09-24 UTC) neither 3.5 Pro nor Gemini 4 was listed, and today all three Gemini 4 models are GA while 3.5 Pro is still absent. Items 1-5 come from the 2026-10-13, 2026-11-10 and 2026-11-12 release notes, the model pages and the pricing page; item 6 from the pre-release official sources and that day's check.
Not published by Google (do not plan around it)
As of 2026-11-12, the published Gemini 4 models are Argon, Carbon and Hydrogen; Google has not published any other Gemini 4 variant or a release date for 3.5 Pro. The two dates that circulated for 3.5 Pro (July 2026 and 12 August 2026) both passed without a release and were never confirmed by Google; as of 2026-11-12, 3.5 Pro is still absent from the official model list. This page tracks official statements only. One sentence for your team: Gemini 4 Argon, Carbon and Hydrogen are all GA with published specs and prices, while 3.5 Pro is still not on the official model page.
The released Gemini 4 and what is still pending
Gemini 4 Argon, Carbon and Hydrogen (all GA)
As of 2026-11-12, the official release notes list three Gemini 4 models: Argon (GA 2026-10-13) and Carbon (GA 2026-11-10), both with a unified 1,048,576-token context and an official price of $2 input / $10 output per 1M tokens through 2026-11-30, and Hydrogen (GA 2026-11-12), with the same context, a Free tier and $1.50 / $7.50 on the paid tier; Carbon is positioned as the strongest reasoning model and Argon as the efficient frontier model that spends fewer tokens per turn. Earlier, 3.6 Flash (2026-07-21), 3.8 Flash and 3.8 Flash Cyber (2026-09-02) had already shipped; the published entry price for 3.8 Flash is $0.75 per 1M input tokens and $3.75 per 1M output, stated by Google as an introductory rate expiring 2026-12-31, after which it becomes $1.50 / $7.50.
3.5 Pro and later versions
3.5 Pro is still absent from the official model list, with no broad-availability date. Gemini 4 now has three models, Argon, Carbon and Hydrogen; whether any further tier follows is unpublished, and no speculation is offered here.
What is worth doing while you wait
Per Google's official documentation, gemini-4-argon lets you choose a thinking level (low, medium or high) per task and decide whether long decode is needed (QCode does not currently offer the Gemini series). Move the model name into configuration so switching models is one line rather than a code change. That matters even more across vendors: the Gemini and OpenAI families differ in interface, parameter naming and tool-call shape, and collecting those differences into one adapter layer beats scattering conditionals through business logic. The second thing worth doing now is measuring a cost baseline for your real workload on a model you can already call. Without a baseline you cannot tell whether a newly released model is cheaper or more expensive for you specifically, and you end up following someone else's benchmark. Neither task depends on anything unreleased.
The honest status of Gemini on QCode
QCode does not currently offer the Gemini series; please use Claude, GPT or Chinese models such as claude-sonnet-5-5, gpt-6.1-sol or glm-5.3. Not ready for a monthly plan? Pay-as-you-go Packs start at $4 for a one-time quota you use within 7 days; if you have an active Personal Plan you cannot buy a pack, so buy a booster pack when the plan quota is short.
Frequently asked questions
When will Gemini 4 be released?
Released on 2026-10-13: Google's Gemini API release notes list Gemini 4 Argon (gemini-4-argon) as generally available (GA) that day, and Gemini 4 Carbon (gemini-4-carbon) followed on 2026-11-10 and Gemini 4 Hydrogen (gemini-4-hydrogen) on 2026-11-12; as of 2026-11-12 those are the three Gemini 4 models in the release notes. Before that, the only official wording was the 2026-07-21 line that pre-training had started, with no date. As of 2026-11-12, 3.5 Pro is still not on the official model page.
What are Gemini 4 Argon's context and price?
On 2026-10-13 Gemini 4 Argon reached GA, and the official model page lists a unified 1,048,576-token context, a default max output of 65,536 tokens, and an official price of $2 / $10 through 2026-11-30. Before that, Google said only that pre-training had begun, not how far along it was or when it would end.
Gemini 4 is out - what about 3.5 Pro?
Google originally described them side by side: 3.5 Pro was testing with partners and would be broadly available when ready, while in parallel the team had begun pre-training the next generation. At the time, that placed Gemini 4 behind 3.5 Pro. On 2026-10-13 Gemini 4 Argon reached GA and Carbon followed on 2026-11-10, while 3.5 Pro is still not on the official model page as of 2026-11-12, so the actual order differed from the July wording.
Why did 3.6 and 3.8 Flash ship instead of 4?
Gemini version numbers are not a strict release order. What followed 3.5 Pro were 3.6 Flash (2026-07-21) and 3.8 Flash (2026-09-02), both in the Flash tier. The Pro tier and the next major generation move on a different cadence, and Google has never explained the numbering scheme, so version size cannot be used to infer what ships first.
Can I use Gemini on QCode right now?
No. QCode does not currently offer the Gemini series; please use Claude, GPT or Chinese models such as claude-sonnet-5-5, gpt-6.1-sol or glm-5.3.
Should I wait for Gemini 4 or pick something available now?
Gemini 4 Argon reached GA on 2026-10-13, so there is nothing left to wait for. QCode does not currently offer the Gemini series; on QCode choose Claude, GPT or Chinese models. Whichever model you use, build the adapter layer and cost baseline first, so evaluating a new model means running a comparison you already have.
Sources
Sources are Google's official materials: the 2026-07-21 Gemini 3.6 Flash launch post and the 2026-07-22 Alphabet Q2 2026 earnings-call remarks (pre-release timeline); the 2026-10-13 Gemini API release notes, the Gemini 4 Argon model page (updated 2026-10-14 UTC) and the Gemini API pricing page (Argon specs and price); the 2026-11-10 Gemini API release notes, the Gemini 4 Carbon model page, What's new in Gemini 4 Carbon and the same pricing page (Carbon specs and price); the 2026-11-10 Gemini 4 Carbon launch post; the 2026-11-12 Gemini API release notes, Gemini 4 Hydrogen model page, What's new in Gemini 4 Hydrogen and the Hydrogen section of the pricing page (Hydrogen specs and price); the 2026-10-08 release note on the 3.7 Flash deprecation; the 2026-09-02 3.8 Flash launch material (3.8 Flash price and the Cyber edition); the 2026-09-29 and 2026-11-12 checks of the official model directory for 3.5 Pro status. Captured 2026-11-12.
Build your baseline on a model you can call today
One key calls the GPT and Claude tiers; switching is a model id change. When a new model lands, you already have a comparison to run.
Related pages
Gemini 3.5 Pro status tracker
Where 3.5 Pro stands on the official model page now that Argon is GA.
Gemini 3.8 Flash guide
Shipped 2026-09-02, with the introductory price and its expiry explained.
Gemini 4 Hydrogen GA: $1.50 / $7.50
GA on 2026-11-12, model ID gemini-4-hydrogen; official price $1.50 / $7.50, a Free Tier and a 1,048,576 unified context; how it differs from Carbon and Argon and how to call it.
Crypto payment guide
Nine coins, 56 networks, zero platform fee for AI coding API credits.
Checked 2026-11-12. The specs and official prices for Gemini 4 Argon, Carbon and Hydrogen come from the Google pages listed above; any other Gemini 4 model and any 3.5 Pro schedule are unpublished, and no guess is offered. QCode does not currently offer the Gemini series.
Further reading
Gemini 4 Flash-Lite: no official model (2026-10)
No such model; Gemini 4 is only Argon (GA 2026-10-13). Flash-Lite today: 3.5 and 3.1. Checked 2026-10-20.
Gemini Omni Flash preview shutdown migration
Earliest shutdown 2026-09-30, the replacement id, which line changes (table archived 2026-09-21, catalog checked 2026-09-20)