Hidden code reveals Google's plan to make major change to Wear OS

Google appears ready to replace Assistant with Gemini AI on Wear OS. Strings of code discovered in a beta version of the Google app might have given away the intentions of the Alphabet unit by stating, “Easily talk back and forth to get more done with an assistant on your watch, reimagined with Google AI.” This sentence alone makes it sound as though Wear OS users will be able to use a more conversational tone when asking Gemini questions or assigning it a task.

The limited screen size of a smartwatch display will no doubt make audio responses more important compared to the version of Gemini used on smartphones. Users will be able to activate Gemini AI on Wear OS by using the same “Hey Google” hotword that Google Assistant would be listening for with the screen active. Until the hotword is said, Gemini will wait in standby mode. Users will also be able to activate Gemini AI by pressing on the side button of a Wear OS watch.

While Google Assistant first had a limited debut on Wear OS in 2018 with the release of Wear OS 2.0, it started to appear more widely on the platform with 2021’s Wear OS 3.We could see Gemini AI arrive on the Wear OS platform via an update to Google Assistant. This could show up in March during the next Pixel Feature Drop.

Strings of code discovered in the Google app beta describe how owners sporting a Wear OS-powered timepiece would set up the feature from the phone app. Having Gemini AI replace Google Assistant is something that some owners of Wear OS watches have been asking for. Last March, for example, a post on a social media site asked if there was a way to get Gemini to replace Google Assistant in Wear OS. The question was posed by someone who believes that he could get answers to more questions by using Gemini instead of Assistant.

While the hidden strings of code indicate that Google has been working on swapping Assistant for Gemini AI on Wear OS, there is no guarantee that Google will finish the job. Despite this note of caution, I’d be extremely surprised if this didn’t take place as it just makes too much sense for Google to follow through with this since it would improve the Wear OS platform.

Hidden code reveals Google’s plan to make major change to Wear OS

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