Switched from Assistant to Gemini on my S21 Ultra and when I say “call dad” it says there’s nobody named dad in my contacts. Switched back to Assistant and it works perfectly. Is it still really this terrible or is there a setting that needs to be changed?

Experiencing Issues with Google Assistant and Gemini on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: A User’s Perspective

As technology enthusiasts and everyday users, many of us rely heavily on voice assistants to streamline tasks and improve our smartphones’ functionality. Recently, I made a switch from Google Assistant to Samsung’s Gemini AI on my Galaxy S21 Ultra, hoping to explore the benefits of the newer platform. However, I encountered an unexpected issue that many users might find familiar.

The Issue: Voice Command Not Recognizing Contacts

After switching to Gemini, I attempted to use a simple voice command: “Call Dad.” To my surprise, the assistant responded with, “There’s nobody named Dad in your contacts.” This was perplexing, especially since I had already confirmed that ‘Dad’ was correctly labeled under my family members in my Google contacts.

Switching back to Google Assistant restored expected behavior, with the command recognizing my contact and initiating the call without any problems. This inconsistency raised questions about the reliability of the newer AI platform out of the box and whether configuration adjustments might resolve the issue.

Understanding the Root Cause

The core of the problem likely lies in how Gemini and Google Assistant access and interpret contacts. When using Google Assistant, the system seamlessly integrates with Google contacts and family settings, ensuring voice commands like “Call Dad” are easily understood if the contact is correctly labeled.

With Gemini, being a newer and less mature platform, there may be limitations or different permissions regarding contact recognition and integration. If the contacts are not synchronized properly or the assistant’s permissions are not correctly configured, it could lead to failures in recognizing voice commands for contacts.

Potential Solutions and Recommendations

1. Verify Contact Labels and Synchronization:
   Ensure that the contact labeled as “Dad” is correctly saved and that the contact syncs properly with the device. Double-check that the contact is associated with the correct account and groupings if applicable.

2. Check Assistant Permissions:
   Confirm that Gemini has the necessary permissions to access contacts, particularly in the settings under app permissions. This can often resolve recognition issues.

3. Configure Voice Match Settings:
   Many assistants utilize Voice Match settings to recognize individual users. Make sure that Gemini’s Voice Match configuration is set up appropriately and that it recognizes your voice commands accurately.

4. Re-explore Default Assistant Settings:
   If the issue persists, consider whether using Google Assistant as your default voice assistant offers better reliability, especially for contact-based