Nearly a decade after Google Assistant arrived, the software is being sunset as Gemini AI takes its place. On Friday, Google announced that before the end of 2025, Gemini will replace Google Assistant on most mobile devices. According to 9to5Google, the only exceptions will be devices running Android 9 or earlier with less than 2GB of RAM.
Google claims that millions of people have already made the switch and use Gemini instead of Google Assistant. Now, Google’s bringing everyone else up to speed, whether they like it or not. The company explained that most users will automatically be upgraded to Gemini in the coming months, and by the end of 2025, “Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores.”
It won’t just be your phone, either. Gemini is coming to tablets, cars, watches, and headphones. There is also a Gemini-powered experience in the works for home devices like speakers, smart displays, and TVs. Basically, if it connects to the internet, it’s getting Gemini.
As the widespread switch from Google Assistant to Gemini begins, Google says it is “continuing to focus on improving the quality of the day-to-day Gemini experience, especially for those who have come to rely on Google Assistant.”
Google linked to a blog post comparing the two for those curious about how they differ and the features they share. Gemini can now do almost everything Google Assistant can, from providing weather forecasts and creating calendar events to searching for flights and sending messages. The biggest difference is that Gemini is powered by AI.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Apple, which delayed its AI-powered Siri reboot in a failure that the company is referring to as “ugly and embarrassing” internally. While other phone makers are moving full speed ahead with AI, Apple is stuck in neutral.
