Service eligibility and regional restrictions
PuppyIP serves only compliant overseas businesses and their authorized personnel. Proxy services are not available in mainland China. The service may only be used for lawful business activities outside mainland China. Use of this service within mainland China is prohibited.
Hosting a proxy IP or server overseas does not change these restrictions. The service must not be provided to end users in mainland China through relaying, forwarding, sharing or resale. Before use, read the Terms of Service.
Key Takeaways
- The Developer API deprecations table lists October 2 as the earliest shutdown date; this article does not verify the actual shutdown time for any account.
- The same table's recommendation points to a Preview model already retired on June 25. Check the current stable gemini-3.1-flash-image and gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image entries instead.
- Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform extends its deadline to March 15, 2027. That does not extend Gemini Developer API availability.
- Inventory production, Batch, SDK and gateway model IDs, then validate quality, formats, latency, quotas and billing on authorized samples. No account API test was performed here.
- Stop rollout if results or costs fail acceptance. Rollback works only while the old model remains available; otherwise use a validated supported path.
October 2 is the earliest Developer API shutdown date
The deprecations table lists gemini-2.5-flash-image as released on October 2, 2025, with October 2, 2026 as its earliest shutdown date. Pricing and lifecycle notices require advance planning, but the table establishes neither an exact clock/time zone nor a particular account's failed requests.
Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform separately extends its October 2 deadline to March 15, 2027 and recommends gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image. Do not substitute this enterprise extension for the Developer API schedule.
Do not follow a retired Preview recommendation blindly
The table recommends gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview, while its lifecycle entry records retirement on June 25 and replacement by stable gemini-3.1-flash-image. This inconsistency makes a copied recommendation insufficient evidence that a target remains supported.
Current model and image-generation docs list stable gemini-3.1-flash-image and lower-cost gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image. The name gemini-3.1-flash-lite without image is a different model, not the image API. Confirm pricing, region and project compatibility before testing a replacement.
Inventory every caller before changing the selector
Search code, environment configuration, routers, Batch schedules, SDKs and gateways for the old ID. Record platform, project, owner, request region, traffic, failure alerts and charges. A changed selector without request-log verification does not prove production switched.
With authorization, choose representative inputs for text rendering, composition, people or product consistency, editing, dimensions and safety behavior. Existing rules still govern real user data. Without permission, a baseline or a cost limit, stop at inventory rather than running calls.
Validate both output and actual cost
Test the supported stable image models that fit the workload at small scale. Record actual model ID, request ID, status, format, dimensions, duration, usage and billing. Check generation, editing, downloads, retries and gateway allowlists. These are proposed steps, not PuppyIP tests performed.
For a hypothetical product-image migration, use approved internal material to compare product details, text, backgrounds and dimensions, then cost per accepted image. Increase traffic only after key tasks meet acceptance and configured limits. Use the project's actual new prices rather than old-model rates.
Separate model, quota and network failures
For missing models or schema errors, inspect platform, region, authorization, model ID, SDK and middleware first. For 429, inspect quotas; for 5xx, retain request IDs and follow official retry guidance. DNS, TLS, timeout and proxy evidence can inform network troubleshooting, but another exit cannot restore a retired model.
Stop when quality, parsing, latency or cost exceeds the chosen limits, and preserve evidence. Roll back only if the old model still works and its platform permits use. Once retired, stop old jobs and use a validated supported model or manual fallback.
Check the actual platform again around the deadline
Around October 2, inspect Developer API logs, lifecycle notices, prices and release notes. A date alone does not prove a failure. Enterprise users should check their own platform notes and account notices rather than applying a 2027 extension to Developer API traffic.
Keep watching unowned legacy calls, scheduled Batch jobs and charges after migration. Exact account shutdown, response compatibility and running costs remain unknown until supported by official notices and your authorized validation.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does October 2 mean every account stops at midnight?
No. It is the earliest Developer API shutdown date, not an exact clock or verified account failure. The enterprise platform separately lists March 15, 2027.
Why not use the table's Preview replacement?
That Preview model has a June 25 retirement entry. Cross-check current stable model and image-generation docs instead of copying a stale recommendation.
Which stable image models should I evaluate?
The current docs list gemini-3.1-flash-image and gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image. Their names do not guarantee identical outputs or compatibility.
Does the enterprise extension cover Gemini Developer API?
No. They are separate product schedules. Check the platform actually handling your requests.
Is changing the model string enough?
No. Verify SDK and gateway support, formats, editing, quotas, quality, latency and actual billing, including scheduled callers.
Can I always roll back to 2.5 Flash Image?
No. Rollback requires the old model to remain available and permitted. After retirement, use a validated supported alternative or manual fallback.