Google hints at Assistant shutdown in ‘March 2026,’ but seemingly only on Android Auto
On a support page, Google is hinting that the end of Google Assistant is nearing, with the Gemini takeover apparently completing in March 2026 when Assistant will no longer be accessible… at least on Android Auto.
Google has been moving away from Assistant well, everywhere, over the past few months, with Gemini taking its place. This includes recent work on replacing Assistant with Gemini on certain form factors such as smart speakers and Android Auto.
Now,a support page has beenhighlightedwhich contains a message saying that Google Assistant will no longer be available for use after March 2026.
The message reads:
Advertisement - scroll for more contentGemini is replacing Google Assistant on most mobile devices. Learn more about what you can do with Gemini, privacy, protection of minors, and availability for supported devices, languages and territories. Gemini will understand the same commands as Google Assistant and also give you the option to speak naturally. Google Assistant is still available for use until March 2026.
It’s relatively clear-cut, with Google saying that Assistant won’t be available after March of next year. But there are several things to consider here before we say that Google Assistant’s death date is set.
First and foremost, the Android Auto section of Google’s support network appears to bethe only place where this message is appearing. Other support topics about Android devices, Gemini, Google Assistant, and more completely lack this message. The wording of this section refers to “most mobile devices,” seemingly just in linewith Google’s prior announcements where the companysaidthat Assistant would not be available starting in late 2025.
The context of the message appearing solely in relation to Android Auto suggests that this isonlyspeaking to Android Auto, not the broader ecosystem of products connected to Google Assistant.
To imply otherwise would be missing a lot of context, too. For example, Google announced that Gemini will be coming to Assistant speakers next year, but so far, we only know details about a US rollout. If this March 2026 date was for Assistant as a whole, that’d be atight timeline for Google to finalize the transition. Even on Android Auto,where the Gemini rollout is “over the coming months,” cutting off Assistant in less than six months seems a bit close for comfort.
We’ll have to wait and see what other details arrive over the next few months to know for sure when Assistant is fully shutting down because, as it stands today, we don’t know that timelinefor sure.
More on Google Assistant:
- Google renames most of its new Gemini-Assistant voices for Nest [Video]
- Gemini replacing Google Assistant on Chromebooks
- Gemini replacing Google Assistant on Android phones later in 2025
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