Are you ready to say goodbye to the Google Assistant on your Android smartwatch? Google's been laying the groundwork for replacing the Assistant with Gemini for months, and it's finally happening. The transition started with the Pixel Watch, and now more WearOS devices are getting Gemini.
RIP: Google Assistant Will Be Fully Replaced by Gemini Later This Year
The original Google Assistant will soon be dead.
If you have a smartwatch running Wear OS 5 or older from manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and others, you're in for some big changes to your virtual Assistant.
Several people in Reddit forum posts have confirmed the rollout, with owners either automatically getting Gemini or seeing an update for the app on the Wear OS Play Store. Once the update hits your watch, you'll get a notification about Google's new AI Assistant being available on your wrist.
As we explained back in April, you can talk or interact with Gemini by tapping the button on the side of your watch or by using the usual "Hey Google" hot word—as long as voice commands are enabled and set up for your watch.
Additionally, owners can fire up Google's Gemini tool by tapping the app icon on that tiny screen, a Tile, or by setting it up as a shortcut complication on certain customizable watch faces. That said, when you're adding Gemini as an action, it may be labeled as "Google" or "Google Digital Assistant" instead of Gemini, but once you see the sparkle star icon, you'll know it's the right one.
Interestingly enough, multiple people on Reddit mentioned that they still had access to the old-school Assistant, even after updating the app to Gemini. However, there's a good chance that it's only temporary, as Google's still slowly rolling out Gemini to more devices. Once the process is closer to being complete, or whenever Google decides to, it'll likely disable Assistant on the backend.
It's worth noting that the overall experience should change too much, but expect improvements. Gemini should deliver an improved experience throughout, especially with reminders, tasks, playing music, and all sorts of other prompts. Google highlights how Gemini can quickly remember your parking spot, create and start playlists, recognize songs, and do a bunch of complex tasks instantly without making you pull out your phone. We expect Google to refine and improve Gemini over time.
Remember that while Gemini for Wear OS is rolling out to more people this week, it'll be a slow and staggered rollout. If you're not seeing the update yet, be patient, as it should arrive shortly.
Google Pixel Watch 3
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is a performance-focused smartwatch featuring a larger, brighter Actua display available in two sizes, designed to enhance fitness tracking and daily productivity. It offers advanced running capabilities, readiness and cardio load tracking, and deep integration with Google's ecosystem, all while delivering up to 36 hours of battery life with Battery Saver mode.
Source: 9to5Google
