- Cars equipped with Google built-in will continue to support Google Assistant even after the September deadline.
- Google has not announced any plans to retire Assistant on Nest smart speakers and smart displays, suggesting those devices will follow a separate transition timeline.
Google Assistant will be discontinued on most mobile devices beginning September 4, 2026, the company confirmed, marking the end of a nearly decade-long run for the voice assistant that once defined the Android ecosystem.
The retirement clears the way for Gemini, Google’s newer AI-powered assistant, to become the default across all supported platforms.
The company has begun notifying users by email that Assistant will stop functioning on smartphones, tablets, Wear OS smartwatches, headphones and earbuds paired with Android, and vehicles that rely on Android Auto projected from a mobile device.
Google described the move as an automatic upgrade, with Gemini taking over core functions including “Hey Google” voice commands, smart home controls, and other assistant features previously handled by the older service.
The phase-out process may stretch over several weeks. While September 4 is the official cutoff date, some users could retain access for a short period beyond that as the rollout proceeds in stages.
Exceptions
One notable exception applies to automobiles. Cars equipped with Google built-in — where the assistant is integrated directly into the vehicle’s system rather than projected from a phone — will continue to support Google Assistant even after the September deadline, the company said.
The retirement has been anticipated for more than a year. Google originally planned to sunset Assistant in 2025 before extending the timeline into 2026, giving developers and users’ additional runway to transition. That extension now appears to have run its course.
For users still relying on Assistant, the migration to Gemini is designed to be straightforward. Google Assistant does not maintain persistent chat histories, so there is no syncing or data transfer required during the switch.
Users who wish to review their past Assistant interactions can still access them through the Web & App Activity page within their Google account settings. Those who have not yet installed Gemini can download the app from the Google Play Store and set it as their device’s default assistant.
The discontinuation represents one of the most significant product transitions in Google’s consumer portfolio since the company first unveiled Assistant in 2016. That launch, positioned as a direct challenger to Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, helped establish voice-driven computing as a mainstream interaction model.
Gemini, which debuted in early 2024 and has since been integrated across Google’s product line, reflects the company’s broader pivot toward generative AI as the foundation of its consumer strategy.
Google has not announced any plans to retire Assistant on Nest smart speakers and smart displays, suggesting those devices will follow a separate transition timeline.