RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Like birthdays in late May and most of June, it’s all about Gemini.
Rubaitul Azad/Unsplash Google Assistant has survived for longer than expected on the company's devices amid the transition to Gemini. Now, it's confirmed it will yank Assistant from Android phones and tablets, as well as WearOS watches and some other related devices, within weeks.
As 9to5Google notes, the company has started telling users via email that Assistant will fade away from those products beginning September 4. It expects the process "may take a few weeks to reach everyone." Afterward, you won't be able to use Assistant on those devices.
The transition will apply to Android phones that meet the minimum specs to run Gemini and only in regions where the newer chatbot is available. Paired devices like headphones that can support Gemini will be affected too.
There are no changes on Google TV, Google Home or smart displays at this stage. Google previously said a legacy version of Assistant will remain on phones running Android 9 or older with less than 2GB of RAM to support basic tasks. Assistant will still be available on cars with Google built-in as well, but not on "vehicles running Android Auto projected from a user's mobile device."
If you don't already have Gemini on your Android device and would like to use it, you can download the Gemini app from the Play Store to get started. Otherwise, you might be able to remain blissfully free from the chatbot. In other news, we'll find out all about Google's latest Pixel devices on August 12.
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