![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/wear-os-gemini-vs-google-assistant-6-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"wear")
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Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
About a month ago, Google started doing something long overdue for Wear OS: it finally began replacing Google Assistant with Gemini<\/a>. As imperfect as it may be at times, Gemini is a really powerful tool. More importantly, Google Assistant on Wear OS has been showing its age for a while now.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been testing Gemini on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for a little over two weeks. In addition to using it for daily tasks, I\u2019ve also been comparing it side by side with Google Assistant on another watch.<\/p>\n Simply put, the difference between Gemini and Google Assistant on Wear OS isn\u2019t even close.<\/p>\n Do you have a Wear OS watch with Gemini?<\/p>\n 19 votes<\/p>\n Yes, I bought a new Galaxy Watch 8 with Gemini built-in.<\/p>\n 11%<\/p>\n Yes, my existing Wear OS watch got the update.<\/p>\n 68%<\/p>\n No, my Wear OS watch doesn’t have Gemini.<\/p>\n 5%<\/p>\n No, I don’t have a Wear OS watch.<\/p>\n 16%<\/p>\n Gemini is already leagues ahead of Google Assistant<\/p>\n Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n I spent some time comparing Gemini on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic<\/a> to Google Assistant on the Pixel Watch 3<\/a>, and within the first couple of questions I asked both assistants, it became immediately apparent just how much more capable Gemini is.<\/p>\n Thanks to smoke from the Canadian wildfires, the air quality index (AQI) in Michigan has been bad\u00a0<\/strong>lately. As such, outdoor exercise isn\u2019t always a good idea. I asked Gemini and Google Assistant, \u201cIs it safe to run outdoors with the current air quality near me?\u201d Gemini found the exact AQI for where I live in Michigan, with an explanation that people with respiratory issues should avoid or limit their outdoor activity.<\/p>\n What was the Google Assistant\u2019s response? A simple but unhelpful \u201cSorry, I didn\u2019t understand.\u201d Off to a great start!<\/p>\n Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Okay, let\u2019s try something else. Next, I asked, \u201cWhat time am I seeing Weapons on Friday?\u201d Gemini pulled from Google Calendar to tell me I\u2019m seeing the movie at 6:40 pm, whereas Google Assistant gave me another \u201cSorry, I don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n Google Assistant did eventually show the calendar entry, but only after I specifically asked it, \u201cWhat\u2019s on my calendar for Friday?\u201d That ability to speak to Gemini more naturally may not sound like a big deal on paper, but in practice, it can be hugely convenient.<\/p>\n Switching gears to a more basic Google Search question, I asked both watches, \u201cDo the Lions play the Bills in the 2025 season?\u201d Gemini told me that (sadly) the Lions and Bills aren\u2019t facing each other during the 2025 NFL season. Google Assistant, once again, didn\u2019t understand the question.<\/p>\n Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Even when Google Assistant does provide an answer to these types of questions, it\u2019s not as helpful as the one Gemini offers. In another test, I asked both smartwatches, \u201cWho is the lead actress in the original I Know What You Did Last Summer?\u201d Gemini provided a concise answer, whereas Google Assistant offered an unnecessary explanation of the movie\u2019s plot. The answer was there, but it was also accompanied by a lot of extra fluff.<\/p>\n There’s no doubt that Gemini is a worthwhile upgrade compared to Google Assistant.<\/p>\n For basic commands, such as asking about the weather, controlling smart home devices, and setting timers, Gemini and Google Assistant work almost identically. But it\u2019s when you step beyond those ultra-simplistic commands that Gemini shines.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s the ability to better understand the context of specific prompts (like the Weapons example) or find answers to more complex questions, there\u2019s no doubt that Gemini is a worthwhile upgrade compared to Google Assistant.<\/p>\n How Google can make Gemini even better on Wear OS<\/p>\n Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n That all said, Gemini isn\u2019t perfect. Although objectively better than Google Assistant, Gemini still has room for improvement. Among all the things I\u2019d like to see improved, I think the first place Google needs to start is with answer accuracy.<\/p>\n Just like on the mobile app and desktop site, Gemini on Wear OS is quick to provide an answer to something, but that answer isn\u2019t always correct. For example, I asked Gemini, \u201cWhat time is Weapons playing at Celebration Cinema on Friday?\u201d It confidently listed showtimes for 2:17 pm, 5:15 pm, 8:15 pm, and 9:40 pm (plus 6:55 pm and 10:00 pm IMAX showings).<\/p>\n On the surface, that answer seems fine. However, when I cross-checked it with the movie theater\u2019s website, I realized it was flat-out wrong. Despite my specifying showtimes for Friday, Gemini gave me showtimes for Thursday (and hallucinated the IMAX ones).<\/p>\n While that\u2019s the only thing that\u2019s \u201cbroken\u201d with Gemini on Wear OS, there are some other things I\u2019d like to see added\/changed to make it even better.<\/p>\n Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n The first is a more robust UI for Gemini. After you ask Gemini a question, you can ask follow-up questions within the context of your current conversation \u2014 for example, asking \u201cWhen do the Lions play next?\u201d followed by \u201cWho is their quarterback?\u201d The problem, however, is that each new answer takes over the entire display with no option to view your previous questions\/answers within that conversation.<\/p>\n The current UI works well for the smaller screen real estate of a smartwatch, but I\u2019d love the ability to have a more traditional Gemini interface, like the one available on the Android app. I\u2019ve also noticed that questions you ask Gemini on Wear OS don\u2019t appear on the Recent chat page on the Gemini app and website<\/a>. This isn\u2019t a deal-breaker, but I\u2019d love the option to have them show up there.<\/p>\n My last request is a simple but important one: offline commands. It makes sense that Gemini needs to be connected to my phone for an internet connection to look things up on Google Search. However, why does it also need that to set timers, start a stopwatch, or create a reminder? Some basic offline commands like this would go a long way, and I desperately hope it\u2019s something Google is working on.<\/p>\n So long, Google Assistant<\/p>\n Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Even with those imperfections, Gemini on Wear OS has been an overall positive experience. Is it perfect? No. But is it a worthwhile upgrade over Google Assistant? Without a doubt.<\/p>\n While I\u2019m not using Gemini on my smartwatch for the same extensive queries I use Gemini on my computer for, the freedom to get an answer to virtually any question on my wrist \u2014 and the ability to ask those questions more naturally than before \u2014 is pretty incredible.<\/p>\n![\"Galaxy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/wear-os-gemini-vs-google-assistant-1-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"wear")
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<\/p>\n![\"Galaxy](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/wear-os-gemini-vs-google-assistant-2-scaled.jpg\"\/ "\\"wear")
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