Turning off the lights Why wait? Google is already dismantling Assistant as it switches to Gemini. Assistant is becoming less helpful as Google "prioritizes" experiences. Ryan Whitwam Mar 17, 2025 12:06 pm | 21 Credit: Google Credit: Google Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreGoogle Assistant is not long for this world. Google confirmed what many suspected last week, that it will transition everyone to Gemini in 2025. Assistant holdouts may find it hard to stay on Google's old system until the end, though. Google has confirmed some popular Assistant features are being removed in the coming weeks. You may not miss all of them, but others could force a change to your daily routine.As Google has increasingly become totally consumed by Gemini, it was a foregone conclusion that Assistant would get the ax eventually. In 2024, Google removed features like media alarms and voice messages, but that was just the start. The full list of removals is still available on its support page (spotted by 9to5Google), but there's now a new batch of features at the top. Here's a rundown of what's on the chopping block.Favorite, share, and ask where and when your photos were taken with your voiceChange photo frame settings or ambient screen settings with your voiceTranslate your live conversation with someone who doesnt speak your language with interpreter modeGet birthday reminder notifications as part of RoutinesAsk to schedule or hear previously scheduled Family Bell announcementsGet daily updates from your Assistant, like send me the weather everydayUse Google Assistant on car accessories that have a Bluetooth connection or AUX plugSome of these are no great lossyou'll probably live without the ability to get automatic birthday reminders or change smart display screensavers by voice. However, others are popular features that Google has promoted aggressively. For example, interpreter mode made a splash in 2019 and has been offering real-time translations ever since; Assistant can only translate a single phrase now. Many folks also use the scheduled updates in Assistant as part of their morning routine. Family Bell is much beloved, too, allowing Assistant to make custom announcements and interactive checklists, which can be handy for getting kids going in the morning. Attempting to trigger some of these features will offer a warning that they will go away soon. Family Bell is going away as Google spins down Assistant. Credit: Google Family Bell is going away as Google spins down Assistant. Credit: Google Google says Routines can be an alternative for some of these removed features. For example, you can create a custom Assistant routine to deliver the weather on a daily basis, though the process is a bit clunky and more prone to failure than having the feature built in. Gemini lacks direct replacements for most of this. You can ask Google's generative AI robot to do things, and sometimes it will comply. But it may also just do something completely different due to the omnipresent risk of AI hallucination. Now might be the time to think about controlling your smart home without yelling at a dumb robot.In its announcement last week, Google said it plans to have everyone using Gemini as a digital assistant by later this year (though it may face stiff competition from ChatGPT). As part of the changeover, it's working to enable Gemini on more devices, including cars, smart TVs, and headphones. However, we're beginning to see that doesn't apply to all Assistant devicesthe shutdown of Assistant car mics could just be the first of several new pieces of e-waste produced as a consequence of Assistant's death. Google hasn't confirmed a specific date for Assistant end-of-life, or which devices will be left behind, but we may get more clarity at Google I/O in May.Ryan WhitwamSenior Technology ReporterRyan WhitwamSenior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards. 21 Comments