Big changes are coming to your devices: Google is officially saying goodbye to Google Assistant and rolling out its next-gen AI helper, Gemini. If you're using Assistant on your phone, tablet, smartwatch, or even in your car, expect things to look and feel a bit different before the end of the year.
In a recent blog post, Google shared that this shift from Assistant to Gemini will happen gradually over the next few months. So don't worry—it won't be an overnight switch. If you're still on Assistant, you'll get a heads-up before anything changes. That said, if your device is running Android 9 or older, or has less than 2GB of RAM, you might not get Gemini at all.
Now, you might be wondering: will Gemini actually do everything Assistant could? According to Google, yes—and then some. They've already baked in important features like music playback, setting timers, and even performing actions right from your lock screen. Basically, if you've been leaning on Assistant for your day-to-day tasks, Gemini's being built to slide right in and take over without skipping a beat.
And it's not just your phone that's getting an upgrade. Google confirmed that Gemini will be expanding to watches, cars, tablets, headphones, and even smart home devices like speakers, displays, and TVs. This all ties in neatly with the recent launch of the Pixel 9, which comes with Gemini as the default assistant out of the box.
So what's the big idea behind all this? Google's aiming to make Gemini a more powerful, AI-first assistant that can keep up with the smarter, more connected way we use our devices today. They've said millions have already made the switch, and they're working on making Gemini even better as more users hop on board.
For now, Google Assistant will stick around during the transition period. But expect more news and updates in the coming months as Gemini gears up to take center stage across the Google ecosystem.