Google Assistant begins its final disappearance from Android phones

Google's long transition from Google Assistant to Gemini has now entered its most consequential stage. The company began removing access to the old Assistant from Android phones, tablets and paired devices starting September 4, with the phase-out expected to continue over several weeks. Once migrated, affected users will no longer be able to switch back. The change marks the end of an era for a voice assistant that became deeply embedded across Android, headphones, smartwatches and Android Auto.

Gemini offers much stronger conversational and generative capabilities, but the replacement is not simply a feature upgrade. Users have spent years building habits around predictable voice commands for alarms, navigation, calls and smart-home control. Google's challenge is ensuring that Gemini remains at least as reliable for mundane tasks while adding more sophisticated AI functions.

Some Google-built-in, Home and TV products will continue using Assistant for now, meaning the transition remains incomplete across the wider ecosystem.