Google is ending access to Google Assistant on Android phones, tablets, smartwatches, and headphones starting September 4th, replacing it with Gemini.
The company states the removal may take a few weeks to reach all users, and once completed, users will not be able to switch back to Assistant.
Google Home and Google TV devices will keep Assistant access.
What happened
Google announced it will remove access to Google Assistant from Android phones, tablets, and paired devices like smartwatches and headphones starting September 4th. The removal process may take a few weeks to complete, after which users will no longer be able to use or switch back to Google Assistant on those devices.
Why it matters
Gemini, Google's newer AI assistant, is replacing Assistant as the company's primary mobile AI offering. Users in regions where Gemini is available and whose devices meet minimum requirements will have access only to Gemini once Assistant is removed. Paired devices including Wear OS smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, and cars running Android Auto will also lose Assistant access, though cars running Google built-in will keep it for now.
What to watch
Google Home and Google TV devices will retain Assistant access for the time being—the shutdown appears limited to mobile and mobile-adjacent devices. Google had previously planned this transition for sometime in 2025 but accelerated the timeline to this year.
Google has announced that it will begin removing Google Assistant from Android phones, tablets, and paired mobile devices starting September 4th. In an email shared with some users and reported by 9to5Google, Google stated: 'We will begin removing access to Google Assistant starting on 4 September, and expect that this process may take a few weeks to reach everyone. Once availability is removed, you will no longer be able to use or switch back to Google Assistant on your phone, tablet or paired devices.'
The removal affects a broad range of devices. Paired devices including Wear OS smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, and cars running Android Auto will all lose access to Google Assistant. However, cars running Google built-in will retain Assistant access for the time being. Google Home and Google TV devices are not part of today's announcement and will not be affected by the September removal.
The transition marks the culmination of a shift toward Gemini, Google's newer AI assistant. Google notes that users in regions where Gemini is available and whose devices meet minimum requirements will now have access only to Gemini on mobile and tablet platforms. Google had previously planned to end Assistant access for 'most mobile devices' sometime in 2025, but the timeline has now been accelerated to this year.
Google's shift from Assistant to Gemini has been underway since Gemini's introduction, and this removal marks the final stage of the transition. The company had originally targeted 'most mobile devices' for Assistant shutdown sometime in 2025, signaling a planned phase-out that extends back at least to last year's planning. The acceleration to September 4th this year suggests Google has now prioritized consolidating its AI assistant offerings under a single brand across mobile and wearable platforms.
The scope of the removal—spanning phones, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, and Android Auto—reflects Google's strategy to unify the user experience around Gemini. Notably, Assistant will remain on Google Home and Google TV devices and in cars running Google's native platform, indicating that certain form factors and use cases will continue to support the older assistant. The several-week rollout window suggests Google is managing the transition gradually to avoid abruptly stranding users.
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