What you need to know
- Seven more Google Assistant features are getting axed, continuing the trend that started in late 2024.
- Google is not giving a heads-up on when these features will vanish. Instead, you’ll get a notification while using them, letting you know they’re about to disappear.
- To soften the blow, Google suggests setting up custom Routines to replicate some of the lost features.
Google Assistant’s time is ticking as Gemini takes over mobile and eventually smart devices, so the tech giant announced the new batch of features on the chopping block.
With Gemini set to fully take over by the end of 2025, Google is now axing seven more Assistant features, as spotted by 9to5Google. This move isn’t exactly surprising, though. Google has been slowly chipping away at Assistant’s capabilities since late 2024, making it clear that the transition is well underway.
Turns out, the Gemini transition isn’t just happening to Android phones. Google’s smart home lineup, including premium smart speakers and smart displays, is also in for some changes.
After phasing out several Assistant features, Google has now confirmed that more “underutilized features” are getting the axe as part of this transition.
What’s getting cut?
First off, Google is pulling the plug on the ability to manage photo metadata by voice. That means you won’t be able to favorite, share, or ask about the time and location of photos using voice commands anymore. However, you can still do all of this manually in the Google Photos app, and photo metadata will still be viewable on Smart Displays and tablets.
Similarly, voice commands for tweaking photo frame and ambient display settings are going away, but you can still adjust them directly through the Smart Display settings.
Interpreter mode, which provides real-time multilingual translation during conversations, is also getting cut. You’ll still be able to translate single words and phrases, but the live conversation feature is disappearing.
Google is also removing automatic birthday reminders in Routines, though you can still set them up manually with Assistant commands. Family Bell announcements—scheduled or requested reminders for family broadcasts—are also on the chopping block.
Additionally, Google is shutting down automatic daily updates like weather reports, but you can still set up custom Routines to get scheduled updates. Lastly, Google Assistant will no longer work with car accessories connected via Bluetooth or an aux cable.
No clear timeline, just warnings
To make things even more frustrating, Google hasn’t laid out a clear timeline for when these features will disappear. Instead, users will get notifications while using affected features, giving them a heads-up before they’re shut down.
To make up for the loss of features you’ve come to love, Google suggests setting up custom Routines as a workaround.