Google Assistant enters its legacy era, making way for Gemini on Android

Summary

• Google unveiled the Pixel 9 series, Pixel Watch 3 series, and Pixel Buds 2 Pro at the Made by Google event, with Gemini stealing the spotlight.
• Gemini is the default AI assistant on the Pixel 9 series, promising smarter, more intuitive AI interaction tailored to users’ needs.
• Google plans to integrate Gemini with everyday apps, offering features like generating images based on text prompts and pulling relevant information from emails.

Google introduced the Pixel 9 series, Google Pixel Watch 3 series, and Pixel Buds 2 Pro at the Made by Google event on August 13, 2024. While Google’s latest gadgets are impressive, Gemini stole the spotlight. The search giant dedicated the first half hour to talking up Gemini with live demos. Earlier, when Google rolled out Gemini to eligible devices, the tech giant allowed users to opt in to replace Google Assistant. However, with the Pixel 9 series, Gemini takes charge as the default AI.

Google Assistant’s legacy

Google unveiled Google Assistant at the company’s developer conference in May 2016. Since its introduction, Google Assistant has been upgraded with natural language understanding, integration with smart home devices like lights and thermostats, personalized recommendations and responses, and accessibility.

While Google Assistant has served well, Gemini promises a new era of AI interaction. One that’s smarter, more intuitive, and tailored to your needs. For example, instead of setting up a timer while cooking or finding a relevant recipe on YouTube, the company sees Gemini becoming involved in meal planning and preparation.

Although Gemini is the default assistant on Pixel 9, Google Assistant will continue to respond to the
Hey Google
command on other eligible devices, including smart displays, speakers, TVs, smartwatches, headphones, and earbuds. While Google Assistant’s days are numbered on Android, it still plays a crucial role on Nest and smart home devices.

Gemini takes charge

Since Google referred to Google Assistant as a “legacy assistant,” it’s evident the company aims to replace it with Gemini. It isn’t Google Assistant 2.0 with a new name. It’s a next-gen multimodal generative AI tool that answers questions, analyzes YouTube videos, and creates images based on prompts. It can handle speech, reasoning problems, code, images, videos, and more.

Following Google’s lead, we won’t be surprised if other OEMs replace Google Assistant with Gemini on their Android offerings. While Gemini felt basic and slower compared to Google Assistant at launch, the search giant overhauled it with full integration into the Android user experience.

Gemini integrates with your everyday apps

Although Gemini is less than a year old, Google did a commendable job integrating Gemini into Workspace apps and the Android system. For example, press the power button and ask Gemini to pull your credit card bills. It finds relevant emails in your Gmail inbox and displays outstanding payments.

In another example, let’s say you are watching a YouTube video of your favorite travel vlogger and want to list the places the person visits in the video. Fire up Gemini and ask it to create a list of places in your Keep Notes.

The Pixel 9 series has a new Pixel Studio app to generate images based on text prompts. After creating an image, drag and drop images into apps like Gmail and Google Messages. Gemini goes beyond answering your questions. It helps you interact with many of the apps you use on your Android phone.

Over the coming weeks, Google plans to launch new extensions to connect Gemini to your favorite apps like Keep, Tasks, Calendar, YouTube Music, and more. Google also started rolling out Gemini Live to chat with an assistant in real time using your voice.

Google did a decent job incorporating Google Assistant features into Gemini. Still, it lacks integration with media service providers, Routines, and interpreter mode. If you use these features in your workflow, roll your new handset back to the legacy assistant.

The AI evolution goes beyond phones

Gemini also arrived on Pixel Buds Pro 2. You can talk to Gemini to get relevant information from emails, explore walking directions, and brainstorm ideas without pulling out your phone. At this pace, we won’t be surprised if Gemini replaces the legacy assistant on Google TV, smart speakers, and other smart home devices.

Google’s new AI takes the helm

While Gemini takes center stage at Google, you can still use the legacy assistant for navigating in Google Maps, Android Auto, Waze app, and Gboard for voice typing. As of now, it feels like we are in the middle of a transition. Until Google transfers all the legacy assistant features to Gemini, we will continue to see both assistants on different services and devices. Read our dedicated post to get started with Google Gemini.

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  Google Pixel 9

  The Pixel 9 is Google’s most affordable 2024 flagship, making a few compromises when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL while retaining the Google smarts the lineup has become known for. An upgraded 48MP ultra-wide camera is paired with a 50MP main shooter, and the selfie cam added autofocus. All of this comes with new Gemini AI features and a 2,700-nit Actua display for exceptional value at its price point.

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  Google Pixel 9 Pro

  The Pixel 9 Pro is a new addition to Google’s lineup, slotting in as a smaller premium flagship to pair with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The latter is the direct successor to 2023’s Pixel 8 Pro despite its new XL moniker, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro brings a new form-factor to Google’s high-end offerings, sporting the same dimensions as the standard Pixel 9 model while packing all the AI and camera prowess we’ve grown accustomed to from Google’s Pro lineup.

• 

  Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

  The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a new name, but it fills the same slot as 2023’s Pixel 8 Pro, having similar specs with roughly the same footprint. The non-XL Pixel 9 Pro is new to the lineup as a smaller premium flagship offering. With the 9 Pro XL, however, you get Google’s fastest charging, a bigger screen and battery, and all of the camera and Gemini AI smarts you’d get in the smaller 9 Pro.