Google Replaces Assistant Go With Gemini Go on Entry‑Level Android Phones

The company is delivering a lightweight Gemini assistant through the Google Search/Google Go app to run on devices with 2GB of RAM or more, aiming to put native conversational AI on budget handsets.

Overview

Google announced on Wednesday that Gemini Go will replace Assistant Go on Android Go phones and is beginning a gradual rollout to eligible devices.
The new assistant is delivered as an update to the Google Search/Google Go app rather than a standalone download and can be launched by long‑pressing the Home or Power button.
Gemini Go is built to run on low‑memory phones with a minimum of 2GB of RAM and supports calling and texting contacts, checking drive time and local info, setting alarms and calendar events, uploading files, and playing music.
Google says the rollout is slow and many users may not see the switch prompt right away; the company did not publish UI screenshots or a full region‑by‑region availability schedule.
The change is part of Google’s wider move to standardize assistant features under the Gemini brand, giving users on cheap phones a native AI experience and removing earlier browser workarounds.