Summary
- Google’s switch to Gemini-based Assistant was rushed initially due to industry pressure, leaving out critical features like Routines.
- A new report suggests Google is now working on adding support for Google Assistant Routines in Gemini, though a launch date is unknown.
- While Gemini is being improved with new features, the lack of support for basic functions like Routines raises questions about its initial launch.
Earlier this year, when Google switched to its Gemini-based Assistant, it seemed like a hasty move. The company wasn’t quite ready, but industry pressure led to the change, and the company left out some critical Google Assistant features. While Google added essential features like setting alarms, timers, reminders, and music playback controls, Gemini still doesn’t support Google Assistant Routines. Thankfully, a new report claims that Google is now building support for Google Assistant Routines in Gemini.
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According to a report from Android Authority, the latest Google app for Android (15.24.28.29.arm64 beta) includes a page about Assistant Routines and how Gemini will support them. The page appears to be a work in progress and only has a brief section referring to Google Assistant Routines. It appears that Gemini won’t have its own routine functionality but will instead borrow the whole system from Google Assistant.
For those who don’t remember, routines is a popular Google Assistant feature that allows you to perform multiple tasks with one voice command. For example, you can say, “Hey Google, I’m home,” and the assistant will turn on the lights, set the thermostat to your preferred temperature, and start playing your favorite playlist. This feature was introduced in 2017, but when Google switched to the Gemini-based assistant, they announced that Gemini didn’t support it yet.
There is no confirmed launch date yet
Source: Android Authority
While the screenshot gives us confidence that Gemini will have this feature soon, there is no confirmed launch date yet. The feature doesn’t seem to be working right now and appears to be just a mere placeholder. Moreover, the report mentions that while you’ll be able to control routines using Gemini, it will be cumbersome as you’ll need to create new routines from scratch, and you won’t be able to use your old routines, though it’s still better than not having the functionality at all.
Google continues to make Gemini more useful across Android, with the AI most recently being integrated into Messages and Gmail. This latest work-in-progress page again shows that Google is working hard to bring Gemini-based assistant on par with our beloved old Google Assistant. But, it once again raises the question: why didn’t Gemini support this basic function from the start, Google?