The era of the familiar voice assistant is coming to an end, as Google has officially confirmed the shutdown of Google Assistant in March 2026. The old service will be replaced by Gemini, an advanced AI-powered chatbot. This decision will affect all Android users, though the transition will not be seamless for everyone.

For owners of modern smartphones running Android 10 or higher, the replacement will happen automatically. If the device has at least 2 GB of RAM, the system will automatically switch control functions to Gemini. However, users of older phone models will face difficulties: their devices do not support the new AI, and the old Assistant will simply stop responding to requests. The application itself will be completely removed from the Google Play Store.

The transition to the new technology also brings commercial changes. Unlike the classic assistant, which remained free of marketing for over 10 years, Gemini is planned to include integrated advertising. Another major concern is regional availability. In some countries, including Russia, Gemini is not officially available, which could leave users without their usual voice control if Google does not revise its access policy by March 2026.

Initially, Google planned to complete this process a year earlier, but the timeline was postponed to improve the quality of the neural network’s responses. The company aims to turn the assistant into a fully fledged digital companion capable of handling complex tasks. However, for many users, this move will mean a forced shift away from a simple and reliable tool toward a more complex system with advertising elements.

ORIENT