Gemini will fully replace Google Assistant on Android in 2026 as Google pushes back timeline

Google Gemini

Google has officially pushed back its plan to replace Google Assistant with Gemini on Android devices, confirming that the transition will now stretch into 2026. While the company had earlier indicated that the switch would happen by the end of 2025, it is now adjusting the timeline to ensure what it describes as a smoother and less disruptive migration for users.

In an update shared this week, Google said it is continuing work to upgrade the Assistant experience to Gemini across most mobile devices, but acknowledged that the process will take longer than expected. Rather than forcing a rushed rollout, the company says it wants to deliver a seamless transition, with further details promised in the coming months.

Once the migration is complete, Google Assistant will no longer be available on Android phones and tablets. The standalone iOS app is also expected to be discontinued as part of the same move. This marks the beginning of the end for a product that has been deeply embedded into Android for nearly a decade.

For now, users can still switch back to Google Assistant from within the Gemini app. This option remains available even on Google’s latest Pixel devices, suggesting that the company is not yet ready to fully lock users into Gemini. Any large-scale migration is expected to happen gradually, rather than as a single forced update. With little time left in 2025, and with major platform changes during the holiday season typically avoided, the shift to 2026 appears increasingly inevitable.

What remains unclear is the exact reason for the delay. One possibility is that Google simply ran out of time to begin migrating hundreds of millions of users in a controlled way. Another is that Gemini still lacks certain Assistant features that users rely on daily, particularly around device control, routines, and deeply integrated system actions. Google may be using the extra time to close those gaps before removing Assistant entirely.

Despite the delay on phones and tablets, Gemini is already expanding across other parts of the Google ecosystem. The AI assistant is currently available on Wear OS, with rollouts underway for Google TV and Android Auto. Google’s Gemini for Home Early Access programme also continues for smart speakers and displays, signalling that the company remains committed to making Gemini the single assistant across all its platforms.