Google Assistant to be discontinued on Android devices on September 4 in Gemini shift

Google has begun notifying Android users that its long-running voice assistant, Google Assistant, will start disappearing from mobile devices on September 4 as the company accelerates its transition to Gemini, its next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) assistant. The move marks the end of an era for Google Assistant, which has powered voice commands, smart home controls, reminders and search queries on Android devices since its launch in 2016. In notifications sent to users, Google confirmed that Assistant will gradually be replaced by Gemini, with eligible Android devices prompting users to switch before support for the older assistant is phased out. The transition is part of Google's broader strategy to unify its AI services under the Gemini brand, which has rapidly expanded across smartphones, web services and productivity tools over the past year. Unlike Google Assistant, which primarily relied on voice commands and predefined actions, Gemini is designed to handle more complex conversations and perform a wider range of tasks using generative AI. Users can ask Gemini to summarise emails, draft messages, brainstorm ideas, answer complex questions, generate images, plan trips, write code, translate languages and provide contextual responses based on ongoing conversations. Google says Gemini can also work across multiple apps, allowing users to complete tasks without constantly switching between applications. What happens on September 4? Beginning September 4, Google Assistant will start disappearing from supported Android devices as Gemini becomes the default digital assistant. Users who have already installed Gemini may notice little change, while those still relying on Google Assistant will begin receiving prompts encouraging them to make the switch. Google message. (Photo: Google) The rollout is expected to happen gradually, meaning not every Android phone will lose Google Assistant on the same day. Google Assistant will not disappear immediately. Google says the transition will depend on device compatibility and software support. Some older Android phones that do not meet Gemini's hardware or software requirements may continue using Google Assistant until Google ends support entirely. Gemini currently requires relatively modern Android devices with sufficient memory and processing power to run its AI models efficiently. For most users, existing features such as setting alarms, controlling smart home devices, sending messages, making calls and checking the weather will continue to work through Gemini. However, Gemini also introduces new AI-powered capabilities that were not available in Google Assistant, including more natural conversations, document summarisation, advanced writing assistance and deeper integration with Google's productivity apps. Users can activate Gemini much like they previously activated Google Assistant, either through on-screen shortcuts or supported voice commands, depending on their device. The retirement of Google Assistant reflects Google's increasing focus on artificial intelligence as competition intensifies among major technology companies. Since launching Gemini, Google has integrated the AI assistant into Android smartphones, Gmail, Google Docs, Maps, Chrome and Workspace, positioning it as the centrepiece of its future software ecosystem. The company has also introduced Gemini-powered features across Pixel smartphones and is working with Android manufacturers to bring the assistant to more devices worldwide.