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Google Assistant / Actions on Google

5 min read

Superseded on Android by Gemini (verified 2026-10-02; see Gemini notes)

Gemini has replaced Google Assistant on Android phones, tablets, Wear OS and Android Auto: the phase-out began 2026-09-04 and by 2026-09-28 the “Switch to Google Assistant” option was gone (Google app 17.60 stable). Google Home/Nest speakers and displays still run Assistant while they move to Gemini for Home (early access since 2025-10-28; once a home opts in it cannot switch back; basic tier free, Gemini Live needs a Google Home Premium subscription). The iOS Assistant app reportedly still works (press). The Android phase-out and removal of the switch-back option are confirmed by 9to5Google (2026-08-04 and 2026-09-28) and Android Headlines; no Google primary page was retrievable.

Google Assistant / Actions on Google

by Google (Alphabet)

Voice-first assistant platform and developer ecosystem for building conversational and voice-enabled experiences across Android, smart speakers, and other devices.

See https://developers.google.com/assistant

Overview

  • Google Assistant is Google’s voice assistant platform that lets users interact with apps, devices, and services using natural language. “Actions on Google” historically described the third-party developer model for extending Assistant with custom voice experiences (“Actions”), built with Conversational Actions, Actions Builder, or the Actions SDK.
  • Since 2022–2023 Conversational Actions were deprecated; App Actions and Smart Home remain listed in the developer docs (checked 2026-10-02).

Key dates & status (short)

  • 2022: Google announced the sunset of Conversational Actions (announcement in mid-2022).
  • June 13, 2023: Conversational Actions were turned down / fully sunset. Third‑party Conversational Actions no longer run on Assistant.
  • 2026-09-04 to 2026-09-28: Assistant replaced by Gemini on Android phones, tablets, Wear OS, headphones and Android Auto; kept on Nest/Home speakers and displays for now.
  • 2023–2025: developers.google.com/assistant lists App Actions (Android) and Smart Home as active pathways (checked 2026-10-02); many conversational features were retired.

Features

  • Natural language integration: map user intents to app actions or Android Intents (App Actions) and extract parameters.
  • Built‑in Intents (BIIs): predefined common intents for tasks (e.g., start exercise, navigation, media playback) that simplify intent matching.
  • Actions Console & Actions Builder / Actions SDK: tools historically used to author, test, and deploy Actions and conversational flows.
  • Shortcuts and App Integration: Android shortcuts + App Actions enable Assistant to surface in‑app functionality without building a separate voice app.
  • Smart Home API: device control and home automation capabilities for IoT manufacturers and service providers.

Strengths (author’s summary, opinion)

  • Deep Android integration: App Actions lets developers expose in‑app features to Assistant users on Android without custom voice model training.
  • Ecosystem reach: Assistant is available across phones, smart speakers, smart displays, cars (Android Auto), and Wear OS, enabling multi‑surface reach when integrations are implemented via supported pathways.
  • Built‑in intents and standardized APIs were intended to reduce friction in building common voice experiences.
  • Migration pathways: Google provided guidance (see the ca-sunset page) for moving legacy Conversational Actions to App Actions, Smart Home, Media Actions, or web/chat solutions.

Practical usage examples (focus on real workflows)

  • Voice-enable a workout app: implement an App Action that handles a Built‑In Intent like START_EXERCISE, receive parameters (type, duration), and deep‑link users into the appropriate screen or trigger background playback.
  • Smart home device control: implement the Smart Home API so users can say “Hey Google, turn on the living room lights” to control devices via cloud‑to‑cloud integration.
  • Media skill: integrate a streaming app as a Media Action so Assistant can play content directly on smart speakers and displays.
  • Shortcut suggestions: push user behaviors as Shortcuts so Assistant surfaces frequently used flows proactively (e.g., navigate to a saved destination).

Migration & current guidance (Conversational Actions sunset confirmed 2023-06-13 by Google docs; Gemini direction per banner)

  • Conversational Actions are deprecated and cannot be restored. Developers maintaining legacy Actions should have migrated to:
    • App Actions for Android app functionality.
    • Smart Home for IoT and device control.
    • Media Actions for playback/streaming scenarios.
    • Chat/Customer Care or web experiences for richer conversational UIs.
  • For new voice experiences, prioritize multi‑surface designs that include an Android app or a web/chat counterpart rather than voice‑only Actions.
  • Since the Android phase-out, “Ok Google” entry points to App Actions, voice shortcuts and routines on phones are gone; secondary sources point to the Jetpack AppFunctions library (self-describing functions Gemini can call) as the new path. developers.google.com/assistant still lists App Actions and Smart Home as active (checked 2026-10-02) without mentioning Gemini.
  • Google’s direction since the Android phase-out is toward Gemini (see the caution banner above, press-sourced); details of Gemini extension paths for developers are not verified.

Limitations & gotchas

  • No new Conversational Actions: the conversational Actions model (“talk to X”) is no longer supported.
  • App Actions are Android‑centric: if your primary audience is iOS or web, App Actions may not be an effective migration.
  • Discovery and analytics: details of how analytics and name reservation changed during the turndown were not verified; consult Google’s archived migration docs.

Pricing

  • Pricing of the Assistant developer tools was not verified in this note; check the developer docs. Hosting, app publishing and third-party services carry their own costs.

Links & further reading

Open items

  • Whether App Actions keep working under Gemini on Android, and AppFunctions as official successor: only secondary sources (pixelforce, opoinstall); the Assistant developer docs do not mention Gemini. Verify on developer.android.com.
  • Gemini for Home early-access details and the Premium tier in the banner are from press only.

Sources

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