Google Assistant’s days are numbered. Google announced Friday that all Android devices will be shifting to Gemini as the default assistant, and that “the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessed on most mobile devices.”
The company said it is working to convert more mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini from 2025, and plans to “upgrade tablets, cars and devices connected to your phone, such as headphones and watches” to the new AI assistant. It probably also includes other platforms, such as iOS. While smart home devices don’t seem to be Google’s focus lately, the company has also reiterated plans to use Gemini to get a new experience on speakers, monitors and streaming boxes.
The only way to really avoid Google Assistant’s retirement is to have a device that doesn’t meet the minimum Gemini system requirements: run at least Android 10 and have at least 2GB of RAM. If you both are right, say goodbye to your old assistant.
For those who are willing to read, writing has been on Google Assistant’s wall for a while. Google launched the Pixel 9 line with Gemini as default instead of Google Assistant, which is a very bad sign, considering that the Pixels feature is a large Google lifestyle ad. Over time, the company also deliberately attempted to empower Gemini’s basic assistants to make this transition possible.
It’s not clear when the switch will happen, but it makes sense for any Android 16 device to use Gemini instead of last year’s model.
