Google Assistant Is Ending on Android. What Does It Mean for Users?

Google has started shutting down Google Assistant on Android phones. This is not a bug, but a deliberate move. According to Android Authority, the first cases have already appeared where Assistant stopped working for users, and the option to switch back within Gemini disappeared.

Google announced the change in advance, sending warning emails as early as August. The company stated that access removal would begin on September 3 and continue over several weeks, with some users seeing the change appear later than others.

The change affects phones and tablets, smartwatches running Wear OS, headphones, and Android Auto when connected through a phone. Once the disconnection process is complete, it will no longer be possible to switch back to Assistant. According to earlier statements, Google will continue supporting speakers and displays. For cars with built-in Google features, this change does not currently affect Google Assistant, which is expected to keep working even after September 3. Whether and when the change reaches a specific device depends on the country, language, and hardware involved, so the rollout won't necessarily happen everywhere at the same time.

The switch to Gemini is also only happening where conditions allow it. On devices where Gemini isn't yet available, or where its requirements aren't met, Google may handle the transition differently. Actual availability therefore varies by device and region. The replacement was originally expected to be completed by the end of 2025, but the plan has since shifted to this year.

Compared to the original Assistant, Gemini's main advantage lies in more natural conversation and handling more complex requests. For some simple commands, though, the situation can be reversed. IT Home points out that Gemini is also missing some offline voice commands. On top of that, Gemini still carries a typical issue found in generative AI: it can produce an answer that sounds convincing but is actually incorrect.

Still, the change isn't a surprise. Google had been preparing it for more than a year, yet announced it with only about a month's notice, and it is removing the option to switch back to Assistant entirely. Users who have grown accustomed to Google Assistant over the years will lose the ability to use it on supported mobile devices. Google has not disclosed the current number of users who are still actively using Google Assistant on mobile devices.

Gemini is a key product for Google. In August, the company announced that the Gemini app had surpassed one billion monthly users, describing it as the fastest-growing product in the company's history. Users looking to ease the transition can select Gemini in their phone's settings, under the Digital Assistants from Google section. According to Google, most commands that worked with Assistant should also work in Gemini, such as setting timers, playing music, or checking the weather. If a particular command doesn't work, for now the only option is to wait for further improvements.