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Google has entered the final phase of retiring Google Assistant, with the company confirming that the voice assistant will begin disappearing from Android smartphones starting September 4. The transition will happen gradually over several weeks as Gemini becomes Google’s only supported voice assistant on eligible Android devices.
Users who have already received notification emails from Google will no longer be able to switch back to Google Assistant after the migration is complete. The change also extends beyond smartphones to include paired Android tablets, Wear OS smartwatches, compatible headphones and earphones.
After the transition, users will continue to activate the assistant by saying ‘Hey Google’ or by long-pressing the power button. However, instead of Google Assistant, Gemini will respond on supported devices.
Google said that setting Gemini as the default assistant on an Android phone will automatically make it the assistant across paired devices, including compatible smartwatches and audio accessories.
Gemini retains many of the core capabilities offered by Google Assistant, including setting alarms and timers, answering questions, controlling smart home devices, playing music and performing tasks directly from the lock screen. It also introduces more advanced AI-powered features built around Google’s latest generative AI technology.
Google Assistant was introduced in May 2016 and has remained one of the company’s flagship services across Android phones and several connected devices for nearly a decade.
Google first announced in 2025 that Gemini would eventually replace Assistant across Android phones, tablets, smartwatches, TVs, cars and other supported products. The company had initially planned to complete the transition earlier, but the timeline was extended before the final rollout was confirmed this week.
While Google Assistant is being retired from Android phones and several paired devices, the company has indicated that the change does not currently affect Google Home smart speakers, Google TV devices, or vehicles running Google built-in, where Assistant will remain available for now.
