It’s official… Google Assistant is on its last legs.
Google has confirmed that the Google Assistant will be phased out in favor of Gemini, the search giant’s AI-powered assistant.
The transition has, of course, already begun, with millions of users making the switch on newer Android smartphones, and the Gemini revolution is set to continue over the coming months.
In a blog post, Brian Marquardt, Senior Director of the Gemini app wrote that more mobile users will be forced to switch from Google Assistant to Gemini, with the classic Assistant disappearing from most mobile devices later this year.
Once that happens, the standalone Google Assistant app will also be removed from app stores, effectively marking the end of its era.
However, on a smart home focused site like The Ambient, the more interesting news is that, beyond mobile, Google is expanding Gemini’s reach to other devices that have previously relied on the Google Assistant.
The blog posts states that tablets, cars, headphones, and smartwatches will all receive Gemini-powered upgrades and that smart home gadgets like speakers, smart displays, and TVs are set to get a “new experience” based on Gemini, as well.
Details on what that will look like remain under wraps for now but it’s about time Google took the covers off of some new smart home hardware, we haven’t seen anything of note in years.
Google Gemini has already spread its wings to the smart home; at the end of last year, a new Google Home extension went live within the Gemini app, letting Android users control a wide range of smart home devices using natural language prompts.
Part of the Google Home Public Preview program, the feature allows users to operate devices like lights, climate systems, TVs, and more by simply typing or speaking commands directly to the Gemini AI assistant.
With this integration, commands such as “Make it warmer in the bedroom” or “Make it lighter in the living room” can now be executed in-app without switching over to Google Assistant and Gemini can control multiple devices at a time to match a user’s command.
Google Assistant first launched in 2016 and, alongside rivals like Siri and Alexa, played a major part in the proliferation of voice assistants in our everyday lives.
But as generative AI has taken center stage in the past couple of years, Google has championed Gemini as its future.
And, with Alexa Plus going live, it was only a matter of time before Google responded.
