Overview
- Google has pushed Gemini onto remaining Android devices, removing the legacy assistant and making Gemini the default on phones that still ran the older software.
- Users have reported that the new model gives inconsistent or incorrect answers and fails some routine tasks that the old assistant handled reliably, such as home automation and voice texting.
- A newly highlighted problem in cars causes the assistant to listen and process voice commands but then stop responding after a short pause, with reports across Pixel, Samsung, and Motorola phones.
- Community members have proposed workarounds using the Gemini app’s Personal Intelligence instructions to reduce hallucinations and force more deterministic behavior, but Google has not publicly acknowledged or issued a fix.
- The shift shows a broader trade-off: generative LLMs can offer more capable language handling but can be less predictable in safety- and utility-sensitive settings, which could increase frustration and risk for drivers and smart-home users.