For years, Android users have relied on Google Assistant as their primary digital assistant. However, that era is coming to an end as Google prepares to replace the service with its artificial intelligence-powered assistant, Gemini.
Google Assistant was first introduced in May 2016 as part of the company’s messaging app Allo, which has since been discontinued. Over the years, the assistant became one of Android’s core features, allowing users to perform tasks through voice commands, including making calls, sending messages, setting reminders, controlling smart home devices, and searching the web.
With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and the launch of Gemini, Google has decided to retire Google Assistant from Android devices.
According to a report by 9to5Google, the company has begun notifying users via email that Google Assistant will no longer be available on Android phones after September 4, 2026. Once the transition is complete, the assistant will also disappear from Android tablets and Wear OS smartwatches.
Google had originally planned to phase out Assistant sometime in 2025, but the company later decided to extend support while continuing to expand Gemini’s capabilities.
In recent months, Google has been working to make Gemini the default AI assistant across a wide range of devices and services. The company has steadily integrated Gemini into the Android ecosystem, positioning it as the successor to Google Assistant.
Users who are still relying on Google Assistant are encouraged to switch to Gemini, which can perform many of the same functions, including handling everyday phone commands, answering questions, managing tasks, and interacting with Google services.
Gemini is a multimodal AI assistant, meaning it can understand and respond to text, voice, and image-based inputs. Users can communicate with it through spoken commands, written prompts, or by sharing images, enabling a broader range of interactions than the traditional voice-focused Assistant.
Like Google Assistant, Gemini can also be activated using the familiar “Hey Google” voice command on supported devices, providing a similar hands-free experience while offering more advanced AI-powered capabilities.
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