Google Assistant will be replaced by Gemini this year

Google is finally moving away from Google Assistant. According to a blog post, the company plans to upgrade "more" users from Google Assistant to Gemini in the coming months. The classic Google Assistant "will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores" sometime "later this year." Android smartphones should run Android 10 or later with at least 2GB of RAM, while iOS devices should run iOS 16 or later.

Google explains in its blog post:

Additionally, we’ll be upgrading tablets, cars and devices that connect to your phone, such as headphones and watches, to Gemini, We’re also bringing a new experience, powered by Gemini, to home devices like speakers, displays and TVs.

The company said it will provide more specifics "in the coming months," most likely during Google I/O in May. In the meanwhile, Google Assistant will continue to work on these devices.

Google Assistant was initially launched in 2016. However, Gemini has become the umbrella name for many of Google's AI and assistant-like activities, so it's not surprising that the firm is officially retiring Google Assistant.