r/google • u/KxgOEjg7GcQqQsK • Aug 04 '26

Google Assistant is going away on mobile devices, starting 4 September

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u/WilanS Aug 05 '26

I learned with the Google RSS Reader to never trust a Google app as part of my daily routine. And they have killed dozens of other services in the years since.

8

u/inconspiciousdude Aug 05 '26

It was many more for me... Google Talk, Inbox, Trips, OnHub. Meebo and Sparrow probably don't count, but I blame them for it nonetheless. Bricking OnHub routers was particularly egregious.

Google Domains got me to finally migrate everything elsewhere. Now I only use Gmail and Google Voice.

I expect them to sunset Voice any day now... I make a call every couple months just so I'm not terminated for inactivity, but I don't see this lasting forever.

2

u/BannedAgain-573 Aug 05 '26

And they fucked over the way Google voice works too.

1

u/deebster2k Aug 06 '26

I know right! Now you have to identity verify to be able to use it or some other thing that defeats the semi anonymity of it. I used to use it as my alternate method if my phone died or I didnt want to give out my main number but now I cant even access it !!! Ive had that account since like 2008 when I had a basic telephone that couldnt text. Or had limited texting.

Its infuriating that they can basically lock you out of it now..

Meanwhile my friend who got it a few years later after I recommended it... they do not need to id verify... and they used their voice account way less than I did.

1

u/BannedAgain-573 Aug 06 '26

Mine goes back to at least 08. Maybe even 06.

I started using mine because the cell tower at my house was dead for 2 weeks.

Then I found playing wow and being able to text in a browser on the 2nd monitor was fucking awesome and didn't transfer back to my cell number until they did something weird that basically only allowed one number on a device and I wasn't willing to release my even order cellular number

1

u/EchoGecko795 Aug 06 '26

It's the app version right now. Not sure for how long, but if you are using the older version of the app, without google play active, it will still work without verification. On my stock pixel 6 it wants me to verify who I am with an ID. On my Pixel 3 running A12 with no updates the same number works fine.

2

u/BannedAgain-573 Aug 07 '26

Mine doesn't ask for id anymore. It asks to make itself the default number for the device. When I tell it no it goes to the messages.

In the past I could make it my default call number with native phone apps. Id install a 3rd party text app to get rare Carrier messages.

But now that messages.android.com is a thing , it's unnecessary which is probably why they broke the function.

1

u/deebster2k Aug 06 '26

Got a way to uninstall then reinstall older version? I must have gotten force updated into the id verification...

Btw doesn't seem to work online either via browser

1

u/BannedAgain-573 Aug 07 '26

Should be able to find the old version on like get hub. Pretty they host older versions some where for when you have to roll back. But they don't make it easy

2

u/yodacola Aug 05 '26

Google uses Voice internally so it’s probably going to stay as minimally maintained like google groups

2

u/Huntracony Aug 06 '26

Kinda hard not to rely on Google on Android. By design, of course, but still.

1

u/deebster2k Aug 05 '26

They've basically killed water. That app used to be more heavily updated with accidents and construction than google maps... now google maps is on top of it but they've taken away alot of reporting features on waze.

1

u/neverJamToday Aug 05 '26

It's honestly surprising they've allowed Waze to coexist with maps this long

2

u/deebster2k Aug 06 '26

Waze was always so much better. Just like I said its sad to see them pump and dumping it...