Google is rolling out Gemini Go, a lighter version of its AI assistant built for low-end Android phones and tablets, with support starting on devices that have at least 2 GB of RAM. The move replaces Google Assistant Go and gives budget hardware something that used to feel reserved for pricier phones: a capable assistant that can work inside tight memory and storage limits.
That minimum spec matters because 2 GB is the floor for Android (Go Edition) devices from Android 13 onward, which means a large chunk of current entry-level phones should be eligible. Google is also embedding Gemini Go into the Google Search app, so users can summon it by holding the Home button or, on supported models, the power button. Small phones, same old button-hold ritual.
What Gemini Go can do
The stripped-down label does not mean stripped-out features. Gemini Go can make calls, send text messages by voice, calculate routes and arrival times, find nearby restaurants and EV charging stations, and handle alarms, calendar events, music, and other media playback. It also accepts documents, photos, and other files as context for more involved prompts, which is a smart way to make a lighter assistant feel less limited.
- Minimum requirement: 2 GB of RAM
- Supported devices: Android Go phones and tablets
- Successor to: Google Assistant Go
- Launch status: rollout has started in stages
Google’s budget play is getting sharper
This is also a neat bit of product cleanup. Google has been nudging Assistant toward Gemini across its ecosystem, and moving the Go tier over means the company can extend that shift to cheaper devices instead of leaving them on an older assistant branch. Apple and Samsung have spent years turning affordable phones into first-class software citizens; Google is now trying to do the same on the Android side without pretending ultra-low-cost hardware is a flagship in disguise.
Rollout is already underway, but like most Google releases, it is happening gradually rather than all at once. The real question is not whether Gemini Go reaches more people, but how quickly budget-device owners notice a difference from the old assistant they are leaving behind.