Google Assistant's shutdown on Android begins September 4th

Google is pulling Assistant from phones, tablets, watches and earbuds in favor of Gemini, and there's no switching back.

What happened: Google has told some Android users by email that it will start removing access to Google Assistant on phones, tablets, and paired gadgets like smartwatches and earbuds beginning September 4th. The rollout is expected to take a few weeks to reach everyone. Once a device loses Assistant, there's no option to switch back — it moves permanently to Gemini, Google's newer AI assistant, provided Gemini is available in that region and the device meets the minimum requirements.

Why it matters: Assistant has been the default voice helper on Android for roughly a decade, handling texts, calls, timers, and smart-home controls for a huge number of people. Gemini works differently — more conversational and AI-driven — which means habits, shortcuts, and routines people built around Assistant may not carry over cleanly. Because the switch is mandatory and permanent, anyone who preferred the older, more predictable assistant has no say in the matter.

How it works, plainly: If your device is eligible for Gemini, losing Assistant means Gemini becomes your only built-in voice option on that phone, tablet, smartwatch, or set of earbuds. Android Auto in cars is affected too. But the change isn't total: cars running Google built-in software keep Assistant for now, and so do Google Home and Google TV devices — so Assistant survives in your living room and kitchen even as it leaves your pocket.

The rollout: This has been coming for a while. Google originally planned to retire Assistant on “most mobile devices” sometime in 2025, then delayed it. Now the shutdown is finally proceeding, but the first word many users got was a leaked email surfaced by 9to5Google and shared on Reddit, not a clear public announcement. The Verge has asked Google to confirm the email's details and is waiting on a response.