Google Assistant says goodbye on September 4: your phone will switch to Gemini
Google has put an expiry date on its classic voice assistant. From September 4, 2026, Android phones, Wear OS watches and cars with Android Auto will stop using Google Assistant and switch to Gemini, the company’s new generative artificial intelligence. The change is mandatory: once it reaches your device, you will not be able to go back to the previous assistant.
What is happening exactly
Google Assistant has been in our pockets for ten years. It sets alarms, calls contacts, controls music or switches on smart lights with your voice. It works with direct commands: you tell it "set an alarm for seven" and it sets it. Gemini is different: it is a large language model, like the ones ChatGPT or Copilot use. It does not run predefined orders, but rather understands context and holds a conversation. If you ask it "what is the weather like and should I bring an umbrella?", it not only gives you the temperature, but also interprets the question and replies with a recommendation.
The change was announced in March 2025, but Google has delayed it twice. The reason: Gemini was not ready to replace Assistant on the basics — turning off the alarm, silencing the phone, calling someone instantly. In August 2026, Google considers it is now.
What changes in your day to day
When you say "Hey Google" or press and hold the power button, Gemini will open instead of Assistant. The gestures and shortcuts you used will keep working, but they will now talk to the new AI.
The practical difference: Assistant executed orders instantly. Gemini "thinks" a bit before replying. For complex things — "help me plan the week" — it is better. For instant commands — "mute the phone now" — you may notice a small delay.
Affected devices: compatible Android phones and tablets, Wear OS watches, earbuds with built-in Assistant and cars with Android Auto (the one that projects from the phone).
What does NOT change yet: televisions with Google TV, Google Home speakers, smart displays and cars with Android Automotive (the system built in at the factory, not the one that comes from the phone). Those will keep Assistant for now.
What if your phone is old
Gemini needs a certain amount of power: enough RAM and a not-too-old Android version. If your device does not meet the requirements, Assistant may keep working for a while longer. But Google is actively withdrawing support, so at some point it will also stop receiving updates.
Why it matters more than a name change
This is a platform change, like when we moved from physical keyboards to touchscreens. Assistant was a command system; Gemini is a generative AI that reasons. That opens up possibilities —you can ask it to draft an email, summarize a webpage or help you with a programming problem— but it also breaks workflows you had automated: routines, integrations with third-party apps, watch-specific commands. You will have to reconfigure them in Gemini, and not all of them will work the same.
Amazon is doing the same with Alexa (now Alexa Plus), and OpenAI is preparing its own assistants. The era of command assistants is ending; the era of conversational assistants is beginning.
How to get ahead of the change
If you want to try Gemini before September 4, look it up in the Play Store and install it. Then go to Settings → Apps → Default assistant and choose Gemini. Google will do the September 4 migration automatically, but if you get used to it sooner, the transition will be smoother.
One important difference: Gemini needs an internet connection to work. Assistant could set alarms or call contacts offline. If you are somewhere without coverage, Gemini will not respond.
September 4 marks the end of a decade of "Hey Google" as we knew it. What comes next is different: more capable at conversing, slower at obeying, and with no going back.
