Small change in Wear OS shows it’s ready to kick the Assistant for Gemini
What you need to know
- A report states Gemini is beginning to move in the Assistant’s ground in Wear OS as its splash screen changes.
- When opening the Assistant, the splash screen now displays Gemini’s logo; however, internally, everything is still handled by the older AI.
- Rumors of Gemini integrating with Wear OS started early this year, with Google’s confirmation coming down in March.
Gemini’s takeover across Google’s ecosystem continues as a new report claims it’s starting to hit smartwatches.
Evidence of Gemini slowly encroaching on the Assistant’s space in Wear OS was highlighted by Android Police. The post cites a tipster’s report that when launching the AI assistant on their Galaxy Watch 4, Gemini’s logo is there to greet them before the app fully opens.
The changes are happening very slowly as, aside from Gemini’s starry-diamond logo, it’s still yet to make a proper appearance.
After the app opens, the Assistant is still utilized in full force by Wear OS. Its logo is present at the top and the AI’s classic multi-colored scheme is still present at the bottom. The publication adds that it also spotted the small Gemini cameo on a OnePlus Watch 2, indicating Google is likely beginning to spread its model to wearables more prominently.
Lastly, the post reiterates Wear OS v1.18, which changed “Assistant” to “Digital Assistant” in the full app list. The app in the Wear OS list also displays the Gemini logo; however, as the publication suspects, the name is most likely just a placeholder.
Wear OS is next on the list
We’ve been expecting Gemini to make its formal appearance on Wear OS since January, when an APK teardown surfaced Google’s plans. Its early code said users would be able to “easily talk back and forth to get more done with an assistant on your watch.” Of course, this is backed by “reimagined Google AI,” which is just code for Gemini.
In March, Google confirmed Gemini was headed to Wear OS, but more information, most recently, shows it’s more than just a rebrand. Code from v1.18 of Google APKs suggested that the entire app on Wear OS would get a total upgrade. It also showed that users will surface the AI by saying “Hey Google,” reminiscent of the old Assistant. Other important bits of information, like whether or not Wear OS’ Gemini will interact with its extensions, remain to be seen.
It’s a hope of ours, but not confirmed.
Keep in mind that Google recently teased “new possibilities” coming for Gemini during its I/O 2025 event in May. Its teaser didn’t go in-depth; however, there’s a chance we might see tidbits about the AI in Wear OS and other places.
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