Waze, the popular GPS navigation app, has announced that it is dropping Google Assistant on iPhone, citing "ongoing difficulties" with the integration. The decision comes after users have reported experiencing issues with giving Google Assistant voice commands on iOS devices for over a year.

In an update on Tuesday, Waze apologized for the inconvenience and stated that it plans to replace Google Assistant with an "enhanced voice integration solution" in the future, which is likely to be Gemini, a new AI-powered assistant developed by Google. The phase-out of Google Assistant on iOS is set to begin tomorrow, according to Waze.

The issues with Google Assistant on Waze have been well-documented, with users reporting that saying "Hey Google" would open the assistant, but it wouldn't detect their voice. The problems have been persistent, and Waze has decided to move on from the integration rather than trying to patch it up.

It's worth noting that Google Assistant will continue to work on Android phones, but for how long is unclear. Earlier this month, Google announced plans to transition more users from Google Assistant to Gemini, stating that Assistant "will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores" starting later this year.

Waze has already begun testing conversational reporting with Gemini, allowing users to report incidents while speaking naturally. This move is seen as a step towards providing a more seamless and efficient user experience.

The decision to drop Google Assistant on iPhone is a significant one, and it raises questions about the future of voice assistants on mobile devices. As Google continues to transition users to Gemini, it will be interesting to see how Waze and other apps adapt to the change.

In the broader context, this move highlights the ongoing evolution of voice assistants and AI-powered technology. As companies like Google and Waze continue to innovate and improve their offerings, users can expect to see more advanced and integrated solutions in the future.