Readers in an Android Authority poll rated Google’s Gemini below Google Assistant, with 42% calling the replacement a downgrade and wanting the older assistant back.
More than 1,300 readers voted. The poll didn’t specify a platform, so the results reflect the outlet’s readership rather than Android users as a whole.
Another 20.9% described Gemini as a mixed bag. A further 16.3% said it handled AI tasks well but struggled with basic commands.
Only 13% considered Gemini an improvement over Assistant. The remaining 7.8% had not used Gemini as their virtual assistant.
Read: Google Gemini Live Adds Voice Tools to Gmail, Docs, Keep
Reader comments focused heavily on reliability. Robert Wilson called Gemini “a big downgrade” and complained that it often failed to make phone calls.
Others reported better experiences. One commenter said Gemini worked well across several phones, including their own.
Read: Google’s Gemini Nano Shields Android Users from Scam Calls
Google retired Assistant on mobile in September as it moved eligible users to Gemini. Reader complaints in the poll included basic voice commands and Android Auto performance.
An Android Authority reader poll found 42% viewed Gemini as a downgrade from Google Assistant, while 13% considered it an improvement.
