'Major step backwards' are calling Samsung TV owners as key Google features have to be removed

SAMSUNG TV owners call Google's removal of feature next month a “big step backwards”,

Google Assistant will no longer be available on its TVs, including existing models, starting March 1, 2024.

Google Assistant will disappear from Samsung TVs on March 1 (stock image)Credit: Alamy

A message from Samsung on a support page stated: “Important: Due to a change in Google policy, Google Assistant will no longer be available on Samsung TVs as of March 1, 2024.

“See other voice assistant options on Samsung TVs.”

The functionality will be removed from all TVs.

The message was noticed by Samsung community.

Read more about voice assistants

It is not clear what the change in Google's policy is.

Samsung integrated Google Assistant into its TVs for the first time in 2020.

The voice assistant is a fairly common feature on almost all Android TV and Google TV products and is also included in a number of other platforms, including Samsung's Tizen.

It is often available alongside other voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa.

Google Assistant disappeared from Samsung's 2023 lineup and will now also be removed from all existing Samsung TVs.

LG appears to still be using Google Assistant since it was first introduced on their TVs in 2018.

An LG support page still points to the Assistant, and LG and Google announced a stronger partnership last month that will see LG TVs get Chromecast support.

The affected Samsung TVs:

All 2022 Smart TV models
All 2021 Smart TV models
2020 8K and 4K QLED TVs
2020 Crystal UHD TVs
2020 Lifestyle TVs (Frame, Serif, Terrace and Sero)

Owners of Samsung TVs affected by the move can still use other voice assistants Bixby or Amazon Alexa on their device.

Some Samsung TV users were unhappy with the move, with a post on X, formerly Twitter, calling it “an unfortunate and big step backwards for Samsung”.

On a Google support forum page, one user wrote: “I'm hoping there will be enough negative feedback that we'll see an update that adds Assistant to the choices, along with Alexa and Bixby.

“You'd think Google would want to integrate their Assistant on as many platforms as possible.”

Another added: “I picked up two Samsung TVs at the time for this specific reason as not all TVs had Google Assistant. It's very disappointing that this decision has been made… I'm seriously considering removing all my home devices change so they can work with Alexa and say goodbye to Google altogether.”

While others were happy to see the back of it, one social media user wrote: “Won't miss it. Google Assistant is pretty bad on Samsung TVs.”

There is speculation that the US tech company could phase out its current Assistant in favor of an upgrade called Gemini.

Google Assistant with Bard will also be powered by Gemini Nano in the future, and will also launch on non-Google smartphones, such as rival Samsung.

The Sun Online has contacted Samsung and Google for comment.