Google has set September 4, 2026 as the date it will begin removing Google Assistant from Android phones, tablets, and paired devices including Wear OS watches, headphones, and earbuds. The removal will roll out over several weeks, and once it reaches your device, there is no way to switch back.
In an email sent to users, Google stated that “Gemini — our next-generation AI-powered assistant — is now the assistant experience on Android.” After the transition, saying “Hey Google” or long-pressing the power button will invoke Gemini instead of the legacy Assistant.
What Devices Are Affected
The shutdown covers the full range of devices that currently run Google Assistant on mobile:
- Android phones and tablets — all models, regardless of manufacturer
- Wear OS watches — including Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch models running Wear OS
- Bluetooth headphones and earbuds — any paired audio device that currently triggers Assistant
- Android Auto — when projected from your phone to a car’s display
There are exceptions. Cars with Google built-in (where Assistant runs natively on the vehicle’s hardware, not projected from your phone) will keep Assistant beyond September 4. Google TV and Google Home smart speakers will also eventually switch to Gemini, but Google has not given a timeline for those devices.
What This Means for You
If your device meets Gemini’s minimum hardware and software requirements and you are in a supported region, the switch will happen automatically — no action needed on your part. Google says the process “may take a few weeks to reach everyone” after September 4.
Devices that do not meet Gemini’s requirements or are in unsupported regions may keep Assistant temporarily, but only until Google’s broader retirement concludes. The “Switch to Google Assistant” toggle currently available in the Gemini app will presumably disappear once the rollout is complete.
This deprecation was originally planned for late 2025 but was postponed. With a firm date now set, this is the final phase of Google’s years-long migration from Assistant to Gemini on mobile. If you rely on Assistant-specific routines, third-party integrations, or voice commands that Gemini does not yet support, now is the time to check what Gemini can and cannot do before the switch reaches your device.
Sources: Android Authority, 9to5Google
