Table of Contents
Google is replacing its existing Google Assistant app with Gemini, essentially transforming it into an AI-powered assistant to become the go-to on Android devices. The current Google Assistant app is indeed already a form of artificial intelligence, but the introduction of Gemini will give it chatbot-like functionality, and there’s no turning back once the switch has been made.
Gemini has been the default assistant on newer Pixel phones (since the Pixel 9 series), but older models retain the Google Assistant. With the new change, these older models will automatically switch to Gemini. You may actually find that Gemini is already installed on your device – this is because Google started rolling it out back in March 2025. The final transition will be complete this September, not long after the Google Pixel 11 series is expected to launch at Made by Google on August 12.
You may have already heard about Apple introducing Siri AI for its next generation of operating systems, including iOS 27 and macOS 27, featuring on iPhone and Mac devices, respectively. Gemini replacing Google Assistant is a similar situation. Google says it “will begin removing access to Google Assistant” on September 4, rolling out to all in the following weeks.
Latest PC & Tech deals
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 - was $2,199 now $1,749
ASUS SFF-Ready RTX 5080 - was $1,499 now $1,354
Samsung Odyssey G7- was $999 now $649
HP OMEN 45L gaming PC - was $2,499 now $2,309
BIWIN Black Opal NV7400 4TB SSD - was $599 now $459
Prices correct as of July 10th, 2026.
Gemini will become the new AI assistant on your Android device #
As revealed in a post on Reddit, Google has started to send out emails to say that “Google Assistant is going away on mobile devices” next month. According to the email, “Gemini will be the Google-provided assistant” moving forward, provided that your device meets the minimum system requirements and you are in a region where Gemini is available.
On September 4, Google will remove access to Google Assistant. The company says the process “may take a few weeks to reach everyone” – once it’s gone, then you will no longer be able to switch back to Google Assistant on your device. Likewise, when Gemini becomes the assistant on your mobile phone, this change carries over to any other paired devices, including smartwatches running Wear OS (which includes the Pixel Watch series) or Gemini-compatible headphones/earbuds.
At the time of writing, the Gemini web app is currently available in over 230 countries and supports over 70 languages; you can see the full list here. Once the switchover is complete, common prompts such as “Hey Google” or long-pressing the power button on devices such as Google Pixel smartphones will now make Gemini appear, rather than the Google Assistant.