The end very close to “Hey Google” is much more important than you think, this is why

Google is preparing to say goodbye to its long-standing voice assistant. On mobile, it will soon be completely replaced by Gemini. But what about speakers and connected objects that rely entirely on Google Assistant? The change is likely to be much more profound than it seems.

Smart speakers are now part of everyday life in many homes. They are used to control the lights, play music, or start a timer. For several years, Google Assistant has been the brains behind these devices, present throughout the Nest range and in many other brands' products. But with the arrival of Gemini, Google's next-generation voice assistant that uses AI, this foundation is about to disappear.

By the end of 2025, Google Assistant will be completely removed from smartphones and tablets. Eventually, this transition will also extend to cars, smartwatches, and headphones. For smart speakers and displays, Google promises a “new experience, powered by Gemini.” But this wording remains vague, and many questions remain about what this means in practice for devices that are already in use.

Gemini is not yet ready to replace Assistant on connected devices

Unlike Google Assistant, Gemini still struggles with simple commands like “set a timer” or “add bread to my shopping list.” Where Assistant excels, but it sometimes offers long or inaccurate answers. This behavior is problematic for devices designed to react quickly, with short and precise answers. Google continues to improve it with new models like Gemini 2.5 Pro, but these advanced versions are not yet available on all devices.

Google does not specify which current products will be able to run this future version of Gemini. Some models, like the 2019 Nest Mini, may be too old to accommodate this transition. If this is the case, several devices may gradually lose their voice functions over the course of updates. For now, only the activation word should change: "Hey Google" would become "Hey Gemini." But behind the scenes, the entire software structure of our voice assistants is about to be disrupted.