Google Ditches Google Assistant on Mobile Devices, Forces Switch to Gemini
Google has officially pulled the plug on Google Assistant on mobile devices, shutting down the escape hatch for users who want to switch back. The company started emailing users last month about the final phase of its assistant deprecation, which was originally targeted for 2025 but moved later into 2026. The official shutdown phase kicked off on September 4, and reports confirm that the migration is now fully underway across devices in the US and Europe.
The switch to Gemini is irreversible, with the 'Switch to Google Assistant' shortcut vanishing from the Gemini app after updates to the Google app. Long pressing the power button or swiping from the bottom corners now routes strictly to Gemini on smartphones, tablets, Wear OS smartwatches, paired headphones, and Android Auto accessories.
Users are expressing frustration over losing basic Assistant functionality, including offline voice commands for quick phone settings and smart home automation routines. While Gemini excels at natural conversations and complex reasoning, it still lacks these essential features. The standalone Google Assistant app still works on iOS devices for the time being, but this is not a solution for Android users.