Gemini on Wear OS must not fall in the same Assistant traps

It’s official: Wear OS smartwatches are set for a significant voice assistant upgrade soon. Although it’s one of Google’s worst-kept secrets, Gemini will soon replace Assistant on various Google platforms, including Android smartwatches. The prospect of having Gemini’s capabilities on my wrist excites me more than its presence on my phone. I believe the accessibility and immediacy of a smartwatch make it a more effective home for a voice assistant. However, as the update approaches, I have one primary concern: Assistant has issues, and Google can’t simply cover them up with Gemini. If it does, it risks squandering the potential of the new voice assistant.

There was a time when Gemini couldn’t even start a timer, but thankfully, those days are long gone. Now equipped with a broader range of features, it can handle more complex voice tasks than Assistant, which was designed for an earlier generation of watches. Gemini Live is a prime example, enabling natural, contextually aware, and continuous conversations with the digital assistant in various settings. I’ve used Live in several situations on my phone, from seeking cooking advice on the fly to brainstorming road trip ideas. But despite the allure of these features, Gemini risks inheriting all of Assistant’s worst traits on the watch. This might sound dramatic, but if you’ve used the old assistant on a Wear OS watch recently, you’ll know it’s well past its prime.