- Google will discontinue the Assistant this year and replace it with Gemini.
- Users will have no choice but to use Gemini on supported devices.
- Gemini is soon coming to smartwatches, headphones, speakers, and more.
From the Allo days to before Gemini, Google Assistant was one of the most clever digital assistants around. However, Google shifted its attention to Gemini to build a more personalized AI assistant on Android, and abandoned the Google Assistant. The app hasn’t received an update since January 2024, and with Google’s recent announcement, it looks like the Google Assistant if officially dead.
Google has confirmed in an official blog post that it’s killing Google Assistant on most devices later this year. All the Android devices with Android 10 and above and 2 GB+ RAM will switch to Gemini and no longer have the option to use the Assistant.
Google’s Senior Director of Product Management for Gemini, Brian Marquardt said:
Over the coming months, we’re upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini; and later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores.
Brian also mentioned that Gemini will soon be making its way to Automobiles, Wearables, Speakers, Displays, and TVs. Until Gemini arrives, Google Assistant will keep working on these devices. More info on Gemini’s availability on other devices will be announced in the next few months.
The inherent switch is all thanks to the number of features Gemini on Android has gained since its launch. It supports various app extensions like Google Workspace, WhatsApp, Spotify, YouTube/Music, and many utilities. Google also rolled out Gemini Live on the app for a natural conversation feel, and will be rolling out more in the coming months.
The Assistant will be joining the Google Graveyard, and it’s perhaps one of the oldest services that actually worked wonders for Google and the Android ecosystem. Therefore, the Assistant can retire without donning the mask of shame unlike many other services on this list, some of which didn’t even see the light of the day.
With Google Assistant now dead, what are your thoughts on Gemini on Android? Let us know in the comments below.
