I tested the new Gemini app on my Galaxy Watch 8, and it's close to excellent

Gemini on Wear OS is currently on a staggered rollout to Android watches running Wear OS 4 and up. My Galaxy Watch 8 review unit, running One UI 8 Watch, had it from day one, so I've been testing it to see how the experience compares to the old Google Assistant or using Gemini on my phone.

Gemini recognizes natural language commands more dynamically, provides custom Google Search LLM responses instead of "Here's something I found" summaries, and syncs directly with your Google or Samsung apps so you can (for example) create a Google Calendar reminder or YouTube Music playlist via command.

My Pixel Watch 3 still runs Google Assistant at the time I'm writing this, so it became my control group against my Galaxy Watch 8 Classic's Gemini. And while I can't say my Gemini experience was perfect, it's certainly a major improvement.

Gemini on Wear OS is a noticeable upgrade over Assistant

Here's a relevant example. The Galaxy Watch 8 has a new antioxidant index that measures carotenoids, the pigments in fruits and veggies that help prevent premature aging and chronic illnesses. So I asked Gemini and Assistant which foods have the most carotenoids.

Assistant unhelpfully quoted a Mayo Clinic article that confirmed "fruits, vegetables, and whole grains" have carotenoids. Gemini gave actual specifics, then let me create a Google Keep shopping list with the suggested produce pasted.

I'm also able to ask random on-the-spot questions about things like "the history of carrier pigeons in 30 seconds" and get a relevant, concise answer. I like to skip past the Search AI summary to the actual articles on my laptop browser, but this LLM data is well-suited to on-the-go insights.

My friend told me he loved the new Superman movie, so I asked both assistants about the critical reception. Google Assistant quoted a pithy Rotten Tomatoes' summary, while Gemini offered more nuance and detail about which aspects reviewers liked and disliked.

More importantly, I asked Gemini for showtimes at my closest theater on Saturday — it pulled data from Search and Maps simultaneously, then had it create a Google Calendar entry for a specific showing and send my fiancée an invite. Google Assistant can do a lot of this individually, but can't multitask in the same way.

Gemini asks Galaxy Watch owners which app they want to default to, such as Samsung Reminders / Google Tasks or Google / Samsung Messages. Once you choose your default apps and give Gemini access, everything speeds up. I had Gemini create reminders, summarize emails, and search for a good nearby Italian restaurant before opening walking directions to it.

Google Assistant also has some integration with Google apps; Gemini isn't reinventing the wheel. But Gemini does do things more seamlessly and has fewer instances where it "doesn't understand" or can't fulfill my request.

How Gemini on Wear OS can get even better

Gemini on Wear OS feels pretty polished, considering it's only just launched. I worried about its battery impact, but dozens of Gemini commands and the always-listening "Hey Google" setting only burned about 20% of my Watch 8 Classic battery across a full afternoon. That's faster than normal drain, but even heavy use won't stop you from getting over a day per charge.

That said, I think Gemini on Android smartwatches can get even better! It occasionally gets things wrong and has leaps in logic, but that's normal for LLMs. I have more concrete requests.

I started adding "in 30 seconds" to info requests because Gemini's long, meandering answers take minutes to read, which isn't always suitable when out and about. Tapping the display silences the AI so you can read the full answer yourself, but I think this version of Gemini might focus more on brevity.

There should be a "View on phone" button at the bottom of Gemini replies. The mobile Gemini often shows relevant hyperlinks when, for example, you search for good nearby Indian restaurants, but the Wear OS Gemini typically sticks to text summaries. Sometimes it'll share hyperlinks that open on your phone if asked directly, but more often it gets confused.

However, as dynamic as this version of Gemini is, there does come a point when pulling out my phone is less time-consuming, and Wear OS should make that transition easier.

Also, unlike the more conversational Gemini Live, the Gemini assistant can be bad at knowing when I'm done talking, cutting me off mid-command or halfway through a message. I understand that people don't want to wait around too long, but the AI should be a little more patient.

Lastly, if and when Google starts supporting the new One UI 8 Watch Tile format for its own apps, I'd like to see a scrolling Gemini Tile with room for more than two saved commands; ideally, it'd show your recent commands, too, so you could pick up where you left off.

Overall, replacing Assistant with Gemini is a major net positive. I simply hope that Google continues to optimize this version of the assistant in future updates!