Key Takeaways
- Google Gemini slowly making its way to tablets, offering unique system permissions and data access for users on select models.
- Gemini may eventually replace Assistant on Android tablets, potentially indicating a future phasing out of Assistant in favor of Gemini.
- Google’s move to integrate Gemini within the Google app on tablets suggests a shift towards a more integrated, out-of-the-box service.
Google Gemini has been doing well as an online app, but it’s still a little shy to appear on mobile devices. It’s only available on select models, and if you look for it on the app store on an unsupported device, you won’t find it whatsoever. If you’re lucky enough to have a supported device, you can download the app, and then select if you want Google Gemini or Assistant will take over as your default mobile helper. Now, Gemini is making its way onto tablets, but it appears you won’t be as spoiled for choice as you are on phones.
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Google Gemini may take over Assistant on your Android tablets
As spotted by 9To5Google, something interesting appeared within the Google Search app. After an update, 9To5Google dug through the new files and unearthed the following text:
Gemini handles tasks on your tablet
When Gemini is the digital assistant on this tablet, hosted by the Google app, it can access certain system permissions and data, like dialer, call and message logs, and contacts (to help you keep in touch), installed apps like Clock (to control alarms and timers), and screen content (to help you act on it).
Gemini is still learning, so Google Assistant may help with some tasks. Some capabilities from Assistant may not be supported.
If “Hey Google” and Voice Match are on in Settings, you can talk to it or Google Assistant (whichever one is active) hands-free.
Two things are interesting in this new text. First is the most evident note, that Gemini is coming to tablets. It’s likely that Google will continue to only support Gemini on specific models, instead of delivering it on the Play Store to every device. However, hidden away within the notes is a second interesting tidbit; the Gemini assistant isn’t an app you download on tablets, but will instead appear within the Google app itself.
Will Google Gemini take over Assistant?
If Google goes ahead with this move, it will make Gemini an out-of-the-box service, much like the current Assistant. 9To5Google noted that you can swap between Gemini and Assistant, and Google will still rely on Assistant to perform some actions that Gemini can’t. However, this move is likely the first step toward Google phasing out Assistant to make way for Gemini, especially if its main goal is to make Gemini do everything that Assistant can.
