Google delays Gemini's complete takeover of Assistant until 2026

Google delayed the complete replacement of Google Assistant with its Gemini AI assistant until 2026, extending a timeline the company initially set for completion by the end of 2025. Anish Kotthapalli, Community Manager for the Gemini Apps Team, announced the adjustment on December 20, 2025, in a post to the Google Gemini Community forums.

"Earlier this year, we shared our plans to upgrade the Assistant experience to Gemini on most mobile devices by the end of 2025," Kotthapalli wrote. "We're adjusting our previously announced timeline to make sure we deliver a seamless transition, and will continue our work to upgrade Assistant users to Gemini on mobile devices into 2026."

The announcement arrives with approximately 11 days remaining in 2025. Google provided no specific completion date for 2026, stating only that the company "will share more details on our plans in the coming months."

The transition affects Android mobile devices, tablets, connected accessories including headphones and watches, and automotive implementations. Google originally announced the comprehensive Assistant replacement on March 14, 2025, when Brian Marquardt, Senior Director of Product Management for the Gemini app, declared that "over the coming months, we're upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini; and later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores."

The March announcement specified device requirements: Android phones, foldable devices, and tablets with 2 GB RAM or more running Android 10 and higher would transition to Gemini. Devices running Android 9.0 or earlier with 2 GB RAM or less would remain on Google Assistant. The company excluded smart home speakers, displays, and televisions from the March timeline, stating these devices would receive "a new experience, powered by Gemini" at an unspecified future date.

Google replaced Google Assistant with Gemini on smart home devices on October 1, 2025, affecting more than 800 million connected devices through the Works with Google Home program. That deployment marked what Matt Van Der Staay, Senior Engineering Director for Google Home, characterized as "a pivotal moment for the smart home." The smart home transition proceeded as announced, unlike the mobile device replacement now extended into 2026.

The delay represents the latest adjustment in Google's systematic replacement of Assistant across its product ecosystem. The company has maintained an aggressive expansion schedule for Gemini throughout 2025 despite technical challenges and user resistance documented across multiple deployments.

Gemini automatically activated expanded permissions across Android devices on July 7, 2025, gaining access to phone functions, messaging, WhatsApp, and system utilities without explicit user consent. German privacy lawyer Steffen Gross documented the automatic activation in a LinkedIn post, noting that users who previously disabled "Gemini Apps Activity" found permissions reactivated without notification. Users required manual deactivation through the Gemini App settings menu to revoke access.

Google's privacy policy update on June 11, 2025, disclosed that data collected through these services "is used for AI training and potentially reviewed by human reviewers (including service providers)." The policy applied to all photos uploaded to Gemini and chat conversations with the AI assistant.

The company subsequently introduced temporary chat functionality and personalization features on August 13, 2025, attempting to address privacy concerns while simultaneously expanding data collection capabilities. Michael Siliski, Senior Director of Product Management for the Gemini app, positioned personalization as creating "an AI assistant that learns and truly understands you — not one that just responds to your prompt in the same way that it would anyone else's prompt."

Gemini expanded to Wear OS smartwatches globally on July 9, 2025, bringing AI assistant capabilities to devices from Pixel, Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, and Xiaomi. Jaime Williams, Group Product Manager for Wear OS, described the integration as providing "a more natural, intelligent and capable way to manage tasks and access information, without needing to take out your phone."

The March announcement generated immediate commentary from technology analysts and search industry observers. Barry Schwartz, founder of Search Engine Roundtable, noted that "most of us probably expected it when Gemini was named Bard since Google kept removing Assistant features." The observation referenced Google's systematic reduction of Assistant capabilities throughout 2023 and 2024, including phasing out underutilized features announced in January 2024.

Assistant features eliminated in that January 2024 update included voice-controlled audiobook playback on Google Play Books, media alarms and radio alarms, recipe management and instructional videos, voice-initiated email and video messaging, Google Calendar event rescheduling through voice commands, App Launcher functionality in driving mode, Family Bell announcements, meditation integration with Calm, Fitbit voice control for activities, caller ID on speakers and smart displays, ambient commute time displays, personal travel itinerary access, contact information queries, and voice-initiated actions including payments, reservations, and social media posting.

The extended timeline into 2026 creates uncertainty for the millions of Android users who continue using Google Assistant for daily tasks. Google reported that the Gemini app achieved 650 million monthly active users in October 2025, according to Wall Street Journal reporting, climbing from 450 million in July 2025. The growth occurred partly through forced integration rather than organic adoption, as Google began automatically routing Assistant queries to Gemini on devices where users installed both services.

The December 2025 timeline extension arrives amid broader questions about Gemini's monetization strategy and product roadmap. Google representatives reportedly told advertising clients during December 2025 calls that the company planned to bring advertisements to the Gemini chatbot in 2026, though Dan Taylor, Google's Vice President of Global Ads, publicly denied those claims on December 8, 2025. "This story is based on uninformed, anonymous sources who are making inaccurate claims," Taylor wrote on X. "There are no ads in the Gemini app and there are no current plans to change that."

The phrasing "current plans" rather than categorical denial of future advertising integration drew immediate scrutiny from marketing professionals. Multiple responses questioned whether the timeframe distinction mattered more than the substance, with media analyst Matthew Keys noting there exists "no other way to monetize Gemini."

Google has not publicly explained the reasons for delaying the mobile Assistant replacement beyond Kotthapalli's reference to ensuring "a seamless transition." The company's December 20 announcement contained no technical details, user feedback references, or specific challenges encountered during the planned rollout.

The delay affects Google's competitive position against other AI assistants including OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, and Amazon's Rufus. Amazon announced 50+ technical upgrades to Rufus on November 18, 2025, including account memory, automatic purchasing, price alerts, and visual search features. Amazon's third quarter results demonstrated commercial effectiveness, with customers engaging with the AI assistant completing 60% more purchases during shopping sessions.

Marketing professionals tracking AI assistant adoption patterns face continued uncertainty about feature availability timelines and data collection practices across major platforms. The systematic expansion of AI assistants into consumer devices, search interfaces, and commerce platforms represents a fundamental architectural shift in how technology companies mediate user interactions with digital services.

Google maintained exclusivity arrangements for Assistant through distribution agreements worth over $26 billion annually with Apple, Samsung, Mozilla, AT&T, T-Mobile, and other major technology companies, ensuring Google's position as the default search engine across hundreds of millions of devices. US District Judge Amit Mehta's September 2, 2025 ruling in the antitrust case barred Google from maintaining exclusive contracts for its search, Chrome, Assistant, and Gemini products, though the company could still offer these services without exclusivity requirements.

The transition from Assistant to Gemini represents more than interface changes or feature additions. The replacement involves fundamental shifts in data processing, privacy implications, and user control over device functionality. Google's decision to extend the timeline suggests either technical implementation challenges or strategic reconsideration of deployment approaches following user feedback and regulatory scrutiny.

Kotthapalli's December 20 announcement invited continued user input: "Your feedback matters to us. Feel free to drop any further suggestions here." The statement acknowledges ongoing concerns about the transition while providing no specific mechanisms for incorporating user preferences into the delayed deployment schedule.

The mobile device transition delay creates particular complications for enterprise users and developers who planned product integrations around the originally announced 2025 timeline. Google has not indicated whether enterprise customers received advance notice of the timeline extension or what support mechanisms exist for organizations that configured systems based on the March announcement.

Timeline

• January 11, 2024: Google phases out underutilized Google Assistant features, eliminating voice-controlled audiobook playback, media alarms, recipe management, and dozens of other capabilities
• March 14, 2025: Google announces Gemini will replace Google Assistant on most mobile devices by end of 2025
• July 7, 2025: Gemini app automatically activates expanded permissions across Android devices, gaining access to phone, messaging, WhatsApp, and system utilities
• July 9, 2025: Gemini expands to Wear OS smartwatches globally, launching on devices from Pixel, Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, and Xiaomi
• August 13, 2025: Gemini introduces temporary chats and personalization features, adding memory capabilities and enhanced privacy controls
• September 2, 2025: US District Judge bars Google from maintaining exclusive contracts for Assistant and Gemini products in antitrust ruling
• October 1, 2025: Gemini replaces Google Assistant on smart home speakers and displays, affecting 800+ million connected devices
• December 8, 2025: Google VP denies plans to add advertisements to Gemini despite advertiser briefings suggesting 2026 rollout
• December 20, 2025: Google announces delay of mobile Assistant replacement, extending timeline into 2026

Summary

Who: Google announced the timeline extension through Anish Kotthapalli, Community Manager for the Gemini Apps Team, affecting millions of Android mobile device users, tablet users, and connected accessory owners globally who currently use Google Assistant.

What: Google delayed the complete replacement of Google Assistant with Gemini on mobile devices from the previously announced end-of-2025 deadline to an unspecified date in 2026. The transition affects Android phones, tablets, headphones, watches, and automotive implementations, excluding smart home devices which completed their Gemini transition on October 1, 2025.

When: Kotthapalli announced the delay on December 20, 2025, approximately 11 days before the original end-of-2025 completion deadline. Google originally announced the mobile transition timeline on March 14, 2025, when Brian Marquardt stated Assistant would no longer be accessible on most mobile devices "later this year."

Where: The delay affects global Android mobile device deployments across all markets where Google Assistant and Gemini operate. The announcement was posted to the Google Gemini Community forums and subsequently covered by Search Engine Roundtable and other technology publications. Smart home devices completed their separate Gemini transition on schedule in October 2025.

Why: Google stated the delay ensures "a seamless transition" but provided no specific technical details, user feedback references, or implementation challenges. The extension follows documented privacy concerns about automatic permission activation, regulatory scrutiny of data collection practices, and potential technical integration complications across diverse Android device configurations and manufacturers.