Google has officially announced that Google Assistant will no longer be available on smartphones, tablets, and Wear OS devices starting September 4, 2026. The confirmation comes from an email sent to some users and reported by 9to5Google, in which the company explains that Gemini, its AI-powered assistant, will become the default experience on Android. The transition, which will happen gradually over a few weeks, will involve the complete removal of access to the old voice assistant, with no option to revert back.
This decision marks the end of an era that began in 2016 with the launch of Google Assistant, but it was expected for some time. Over the past two years, Google has progressively reduced Assistant's features to favor Gemini, first on smart home devices, then on Android Auto, and finally on mobile. According to the email, the change will affect Android phones, tablets, and watches, but not Google TV and Google Home, where Assistant will continue to work at least for now.
The migration to Gemini has been underway for months
As early as March 2025, Google had removed some Assistant features on Nest devices, such as live translation in interpreter mode and voice-command photo sharing, only to reintroduce them with Gemini. In October of the same year, the migration began in earnest on Google Home and Nest Hub. Throughout 2026, Assistant was also replaced on Android Auto, completing the picture of an irreversible transition. Gemini, for its part, has gained increasingly broad capabilities, integrating image generation, advanced search, and the ability to handle complex tasks, becoming a true hub for Google's artificial intelligence.
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For those who have used Assistant until now, switching to Gemini requires a few steps. If the Gemini app is not already installed, it can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Once activated, the app will guide the user through replacing the default assistant, leveraging Google account synchronization to make the transition quick and without data loss. Past interactions with Assistant will not be migrated automatically, but users can review their activity history through the Web & App Activity page in their Google account.
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Classic voice commands, such as "Hey Google," will continue to work with Gemini, but with a substantial difference: conversations will be synced across all devices, offering a smoother and more contextual experience. This represents an improvement over Assistant, which lacked a unified chat archive. Thus, the discontinuation of Assistant is not just a name change, but a shift to a more integrated and intelligent ecosystem, capable of handling complex requests naturally and adapting to the user's context.
The September 4 deadline is imminent, and those who haven't tried Gemini yet would do well to familiarize themselves with the app in advance. The removal will happen progressively, but once complete, there will be no option to return to the old assistant. Users who wish to maintain continuity in their habits can start using Gemini now, exploring its advanced features, such as the ability to answer complex questions, generate creative content, and control smart home devices. Furthermore, with the arrival of new features and increasingly tight integration with the Google ecosystem, Gemini is poised to become the primary access point to artificial intelligence for millions of Android users.
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The end of Google Assistant represents a historic moment in the tech world, but also an opportunity for users to embrace a new generation of voice assistants. The path is already set, and those who adapt in time can fully leverage Gemini's potential, avoiding being caught off guard when the old assistant disappears for good. To learn more about other AI developments, check out our article on Jeff Dean leaving Google to found Discovery Loop, another paradigm shift in the AI field.
