Google declared the shutdown of Google Assistant last year, and confirmed that its advanced AI assistant, Gemini, would replace the current service across its ecosystem. Now, the tech giant seems to have entered the final stage of this migration as it started notifying users that Google Assistant will be phased out from Android smartphones beginning next month. The transition will be rolled out over a few weeks. Besides smartphones, the shutdown of Google Assistant will also affect paired smartwatches, tablets and earphones.
Google Starts Phasing Out Assistant on Android
As per user posts on Reddit and X, Google has started emailing users that Google Assistant will disappear from their Android smartphones starting September 4. The process will take a few weeks, and Google confirmed that users will no longer have the option to switch back to Google Assistant on the phone, tablet, or paired device after the transition.
Gemini will replace the Google Assistant on eligible Android devices. Once the transition is complete, users can launch Gemini by saying “Hey Google” or long-pressing the power button on their Android phone.
Google confirmed that keeping Gemini as the default assistant on a smartphone will automatically make it the assistant on paired devices, Wear OS smartwatches and compatible headphones and earphones.
Gemini has similar functions to Google Assistant. It can be used to set timers, answer questions, and control smart home devices, while offering more advanced AI-powered capabilities. It can also play music and take actions from your lock screen.
Google Assistant, which was released in May 2016, has been a part of the Android ecosystem and many Google products for nearly a decade. In March last year, Google announced that Gemini will replace Google Assistant across Android phones, tablets, smartwatches, cars, TVs, and other supported devices. The company initially planned to discontinue Google Assistant by March 2026. However, the timeline has been pushed back due to unknown reasons. In recent months, Google has added many new features and capabilities to Gemini.
