Google is slowly phasing out its Assistant helper to make room for Gemini's reign in smartphones - heres how its doing the same for smart home devices

Date:
Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:42:15 +0000

Description:
Google has announced that Gemini will replace Google Assistant, but not just for smartphones. This is how Google has started its Gemini roll out to smart speakers.

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Googles plans to completely retire its Google Assistant software is
officially under way following last weeks announcement that its AI-advanced Google Gemini will replace Google Assistant in Android smartphones by the end of 2025. This news doesnt come as a huge shock to us, as Google has been phasing out some of its Google Assistant tasks since October 2024, however weve come to learn that its not just the best Android phones that are getting the Gemini treatment.

As well as smartphones, Googles line of smart home assistants which includes the best smart speakers and best smart displays are also going through some changes, implying that they too will also receive a Gemini facelift. Since Gemini started supercharging Google Assistant on smart displays and speakers late last year , we could only guess that it would be a matter of time before this evolved into a complete Gemini takeover, and now its looking that way in light of Googles recent decision to disable certain Google Assistant features from its smart home devices.

In order to get the ball rolling with Googles big transition, the company is eradicating traces of Google Assistant bit by bit to make room for its more advanced Gemini software, which we guess will be fully rolled out by the end of 2025 - at least to Android smartphones. It may take a little longer for
the case of Nest devices, but now that Google has removed functions such as Live Translation and Family Bell, its already got a leg up on making smart devices more Gemini-friendly. This isnt to say that Gemini will have less functionality than Google Assistant, its simply a case of Google slowly removing one to make room for the other. Google Photos capabilities

Youll no longer be able to use voice commands to ask Google Assistant to favorite or share your photos, or ask specific questions regarding when and where they were taken. With that said, youll still be able to share them through the Google Photos app, and use your smart display to see where they were taken. Smart display ambient screen settings (Image credit: Google)

To enable photo frame settings or ambient screen settings on your Google
smart display, youll have to refer to the Smart Display app to change these manually as Google Assistant will no longer support the voice command. Live Translations (Image credit: Google )

Since Google Assistant introduced its useful Interpreter Mode function in
2019 , users have been able to translate live conversations from one language to another. This is no longer the case following Googles decision to axe it from Assistants functions, however its still possible to translate singular words or phrases. Birthday reminders with Routines

Routines is Googles version of a personal task assistant which can automate tasks and actions by voice commands such as turning the lights off, playing music, or sending you notifications of important birthdays in your calendar. Google has now disabled the latter, but you can still use the Assistant voice control to set reminders about upcoming birthdays. Family Bell announcements

Googles Family Bell function was helpful for the whole family, allowing you
to schedule reminders or announcements so that everyone in your household would be in the loop with family events.

As part of Googles transition to integrating Gemini with smart home devices, you can no longer use Assistant to create or read your previously scheduled announcements. This was a favorite among Google smart home users, now
Routines is its alternative. Daily updates (Image credit: Google)

This is a basic function, but a rather useful one that Google has just terminated. Just like you can set Alexa to give you daily updates, Assistant will no longer support voice requests such as send me the weather everyday. Instead, youll have to manually schedule updates when you create a custom Routine. Google Assistant on car accessories

Google has disabled the ability to use Assistant on car accessories that support Bluetooth connection or have an AUX plug. You might also like
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/smart-home-hubs/google-is-slowly-phasing-out-it s-assistant-helper-to-make-room-for-geminis-reign-in-smartphones-heres-how-its -doing-the-same-for-smart-home-devices


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