![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Google-Gemini-logo-on-smartphone-stock-photo-2.jpg\"\/ "\\"Google"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Edgar Cervantes \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
TL;DR<\/p>\n
Users on underpowered devices, like Android Go, have not been forced to move to Gemini yet.
\nNow Assistant Go is preparing a new deprecation message that could signal a transition to Gemini.
\nIt\u2019s yet unclear exactly how Gemini\u2019s minimum system requirements may be changing.<\/p>\n
Gemini is the future of Google\u2019s virtual assistant \u2014 make no mistake about that. While the transition has felt a bit piecemeal so far, little by little we\u2019re seeing Google get around to replacing Assistant with Gemini on everything from smart speakers<\/a> to our vehicles<\/a>. While phones were some of the first devices to make the switch, that move hasn\u2019t applied universally, and a big blank spot there has involved lower-powered hardware that didn\u2019t initially meet Gemini\u2019s minimum spec requirements<\/a>. Now we\u2019re finally getting an idea of what a path forward to Gemini might look like for those devices \u2014 or getting the first hint of a bleak future with neither Assistant nor Gemini.<\/p>\n Back when Google first started detailing how the transition to Gemini was going to work, the company was clear that the long-term goal was to move users off Assistant; while we initially had the option to stick with Assistant, Google eventually made that mandatory for all compatible devices. The problem there is that Gemini has minimum requirements like 2GB of RAM, so Google said that if your phone wasn\u2019t capable of accessing Gemini, you\u2019d be free to stick with Assistant.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/p>\n That was over a year ago, though, and Gemini models have gotten a lot better on multiple fronts \u2014 including the ability to function with fewer resources. Could that maturity mean that Google\u2019s getting ready to bring Gemini to even Android Go devices?<\/p>\n Low-powered Android Go handsets have had access to Google Assistant Go<\/a> \u2014 a pared-down version of Assistant that lacks fancier features like smart-home control. So far, though, there hasn\u2019t been an equivalent solution available for Gemini. But in Google\u2019s version 2.18.0 update of the Assistant Go app, we\u2019re seeing some text strings that may suggest that\u2019s about to change:<\/p>\n Code<\/p>\n Copy TextGoogle Assistant is no longer available on this device
We can see a couple things going on in here. Even if the strings themselves don\u2019t make explicit reference to Assistant Go, we can see in the string labels that this messaging is being prepared for the deprecation of Assistant Go. And similarly, even without anything like a direct mention of anything like a \u201cGemini Go,\u201d there\u2019s still talk about a path forward to Gemini.<\/p>\n AssembleDebug \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n That said, there\u2019s also a whole lot of \u201ccheck to make sure it works with your phone\u201d language here, from which we have to infer that there are still devices it won\u2019t ever work with. There\u2019s just nothing here yet that gives us a clear idea of where that line might lie, especially if we\u2019re talking about an all-new Gemini Go with yet-unknown requirements.<\/p>\n We also have to consider the possibility of a worst-case scenario: that Google is just killing Assistant Go off without anything like Gemini Go to replace it, and it really does intend to force users to upgrade their handsets.<\/p>\n While this is ultimately a bit of a tease, it\u2019s definitely more to go on than we had before \u2014 and is now keeping us primed to look for further evidence of this upcoming transition. We\u2019ll share any additional details we\u2019re able to uncover, as Google continues to go all-in on Gemini.<\/p>\n \u26a0\ufe0f An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.<\/p>\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\"\/ "\\"google"){kind=icon}
![\"google](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\"\/ "\\"google"){kind=icon}
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nGemini, Google\u2019s new AI assistant, can help with tasks that Google Assistant did, plus more complex ones.
\nTo start using Gemini, check that it\u2019s available in your region and that it works with your phone or tablet and account type. Learn more about getting Gemini<\/a>.
\nGoogle Assistant will be going away soon.
\nGemini is replacing Google Assistant. Get help with tasks that Google Assistant did, plus more complex ones.
To start using Gemini, check that it\u2019s available in your region and that it works with your phone or tablet and account type.
Learn more about getting Gemini<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"gemini](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/gemini-assistant-go-watermarked-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"gemini")
<\/p>\n