Google might rebrand ‘Assistant with Bard’ before it reaches Android

At the Pixel 8 event, they spilled the beans about “Assistant with Bard” coming in 2024. But, before it hits Android, there’s a rumor that Google might ditch the “Assistant” name and simply go with “Bard.”

In the latest Google app version 15.2, they’ve given the friendly intro a tweak: “Hi! I’m Bard…”

And guess what? As of today, most of the talk about “Assistant with Bard” has been switched to just “Bard.” Looks like Google might be ditching the whole “Assistant with Bard” tag for its next-gen voice feature. Adding to that, the company is now straight-up calling “Bard” a “digital assistant” rather than just another flavor of Google Assistant. And here’s another hint: they’ve dropped the “classic” label when talking about the old Google Assistant.

Last week, Google cut out some Assistant features, claiming they want to zero in on “quality and reliability” to make it smoother to use Assistant on all devices. It’s pretty much shouting from the rooftops that Bard is the future. But with this potential rebranding, the crystal ball for what’s next for “Assistant” isn’t as clear as it used to be.

There’s a chance that when Bard gets its act together and becomes less of an experiment, Google might swing back to the “Google Assistant” name in another rebrand. But, let’s face it, that could be a head-scratcher for users. However, at the get-go, it doesn’t seem like they’re sticking with the name “Assistant with Bard” for this next-gen rollout.

Users can anticipate spotting a new UI option in the primary Google app, positioned between the profile icon and the Search Labs beaker. The toggle, reminiscent of a physical slider, appears to allow users to switch between Search and Bard.

Most likely, this will alter the function of the pill-shaped bar beneath the Google logo to align with the option users choose. Currently, it’s uncertain whether this slider will be a permanent fixture in the Google app or if it will appear intermittently during its rollout to prompt user interaction.

Google has given a new look to its pop-up message, set to prompt users to give “Assistant with Bard” a try when it’s released. Sporting the AI’s familiar two-star logo, the box will display a message encouraging users to “talk, text, or share a photo to get started.”