Agent Ethan vs Google Assistant and Gemini

Google Assistant and Agent Ethan both respond to your voice, but they are built for different jobs. Google has been upgrading Assistant on mobile to Gemini, and its help pages list a set of phone actions and connected apps. Agent Agent Ethan reads the app screen that is open and makes the taps itself. This post explains where each fits, using only what Google's own pages say, and the Google side is changing, so check those pages for the latest.

First, what happened to Google Assistant

In an announcement dated March 14, 2025, Google said it was upgrading users on mobile from Google Assistant to Gemini, and that later that year the classic Assistant would no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores. It also said that on a phone that does not meet the minimum system requirements to run Gemini, Assistant functionality would not change at this time. What your own phone shows depends on its device and software, so check Google's pages for the current position.

Google's Gemini help page says Gemini will replace Google Assistant as the primary assistant on your device, and that other devices with Assistant built in, such as smart displays, speakers, TVs, cars and Pixel Tablets, will continue to be powered by Assistant. On phones where Gemini has taken over, the practical comparison is Gemini against Ethan. This post says "Google's assistant" for both, and relies on the Gemini pages for the details. Everything said here about Google reflects those pages as read on 1 October 2026.

If you are one of the people whose phone still shows Assistant, nothing here asks you to change anything. Google's announcement said phones below the minimum requirements would keep their current Assistant at that time, and Ethan runs on Android 11 or newer regardless of which assistant your phone uses.

What Google's assistant says it can do on your phone

Google's help page for device assistance in the Gemini app lists what you can ask for on Android. The list covers managing alarms, timers and the stopwatch, turning settings such as the flashlight, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb and Battery Saver on or off, adjusting volume and brightness, controlling media playback, opening apps, websites and settings, and taking photos and screenshots. It can also read and reply to messages in your notifications once you grant notification access, a feature the page says is being released gradually. The page also says these features are available in the Gemini mobile app on Android.

Google also documents Connected Apps. Gemini can work with other apps to complete a request, and the page names areas such as email and calendar, music streaming, and making calls and sending messages with your default apps or WhatsApp on Android. You can type @ to choose an app. The page says availability varies by location, language, device and Gemini app, and it points work or school accounts to a separate help page.

The same page lists things device assistance cannot do, such as changing the PIN or password that locks your device, performing a factory reset, changing permission settings for apps, or reading your saved passwords.

Google's page also notes that device assistance needs the Google app to be your device's default digital assistant app, and that reading notifications needs notification access to be granted. That is a useful reminder that built-in does not always mean zero setup, so allow a few minutes the first time.

What Agent Ethan does

Agent Ethan works through Android's Accessibility Service. You say a task, it opens the app, reads the screen, and performs the taps, typing and scrolling. It is built for jobs where you would otherwise tap through several screens in an app, for example filling in a booking form up to the last screen.

It shows a plan first, keeps a small pill with Pause and Stop on screen, and marks the next control with a gold ring. By default it asks before sending a message or placing a call, and it stops before paying, buying, booking, sending money and permanent deletions. An optional setting lets it act with fewer questions, though it still stops before paying.

Ethan also sends the screen text, and sometimes a screenshot, to an AI service while a task runs. If that matters to you, read the privacy explanation before you start.

One practical example is a cab request. You might say "Book a cab to the railway station". Ethan opens the cab app, fills in the pickup and destination, gets you to the last screen, and then, by default, stops before the final booking or payment step so that you press it yourself. The same pattern applies to forms, settings pages and message threads where a person would normally tap through.

Where each one fits

Google's assistant is a natural fit for quick, well-defined requests that the pages above list: set a timer, turn on the flashlight, play something, read a notification. It may already be on your phone, so there may be nothing extra to install.

Agent Ethan is a natural fit when the job lives inside an app screen and needs several taps, and when you would rather describe the goal than pick an action from a list. It is also designed with accessibility in mind, including many spoken languages and controls labelled for TalkBack, and it can speak updates out loud if you choose that in Settings.

Neither replaces the other. Plenty of people will use the built-in assistant for the quick things and Ethan for the longer app chores. If a task is not on Google's lists, the Gemini pages are the place to check what is possible on your phone today, since features change.

If you rely on a screen reader, note that Ethan's own controls are labelled for TalkBack, and with the "Out loud" setting it can speak when it starts, when it needs you and when the task is done. Whichever assistant you choose, the best habit is the same: look at the last screen before anything final.

A simple test

Take one task that is on Google's lists, like setting an alarm, and one that is not, like sending a message in an app you use often. Try them with each tool.

Notice how many times you had to touch the screen, repeat yourself or correct a mistake. The tool that leaves you least tired for that kind of task is the right one for it.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Assistant still available on phones?

In March 2025 Google said it was upgrading mobile users from Assistant to Gemini, and that classic Assistant would no longer be accessible on most mobile devices. Phones that do not meet Gemini's minimum requirements were to keep Assistant at that time. This is still changing, so check Google's pages for the latest.

Can Gemini open apps and tap through them?

Google's device assistance page says it can open apps, websites and settings, and Connected Apps lets it work with certain apps. For anything beyond what those pages list, check Google's pages for your phone.

Does Ethan work with any app?

Ethan reads the app screen that is open and performs the taps, so it is not tied to a fixed list of actions. Results can still vary from app to app, and it asks you when it is unsure.

Sources

Ready to try it? Download Agent Ethan or read how it works.