ChatGPT Dots and Claude test as Android assistants against Gemini

ChatGPT's new Dots agents and two Android assistant tests are the focus of several reports this week. OpenAI has launched Dots, always-on agents that run in the cloud and can reach out to users without being asked. Dots is powered by GPT-6 Astra and has its own cloud computer and browser. It can connect to thousands of apps. According to XDA Developers, the reviewer ran Dots for three weeks and found its setup far simpler than OpenClaw, which still needs terminal work for many users.

The same reviewer describes proactive behaviour. Dots reviewed an email from an outside organisation and sent a notification without any request, rules or reminders. Over time it also learned habits. After a stressful withdrawal from a payments account, it began flagging later withdrawals. XDA Developers presents these as its strongest features.

A separate test by Android Police compared ChatGPT and Claude as default assistants on a Samsung Galaxy phone against Google's Gemini, which has now replaced Google Assistant. The tester set each app as the default and gave the same everyday tasks, including alarms, texts, calendar events, directions, maths and longer conversations.

ChatGPT answered questions well, including tip and unit calculations and a translation. It kept listening after replies and handled interruptions smoothly. However, it could not set alarms, control the flashlight or send texts. Its alarm request led to instructions instead of an action. A timer started but never ran. Some answers appeared only as speech, with no text on screen.

Claude did better on device control. It set a 6:30 a.m. alarm and a 10-minute timer. It added calendar events after the user approved a permission request. It could not set a true reminder and created an alarm instead. It also could not open Maps or give directions. For many tasks it depends on connectors, such as Gmail, Google Calendar and several work apps, which must be linked in the Claude app first. The tester found that Gmail and Calendar needed reconnecting before they worked.

The reports differ on how far these tools can act. XDA Developers praises Dots for working out of the box and acting on its own. Android Police finds that the current Android assistant options differ widely in what they can do on the phone itself. The two reviews test different products, so they do not give a direct ranking of Dots against Claude or ChatGPT.

What is still unknown is how Dots performs over a longer period, and how it handles privacy when it reads connected accounts. The reports do not state pricing for Dots or the full list of supported apps. Android Police did not test Dots at all.

For readers with a smart home, the practical point is that an assistant's reach depends on the permissions and connections you give it. Check which app is set as your default assistant in your phone settings. Review the connected accounts and permissions you have approved. Test alarms, timers and reminders before you rely on one for a daily routine.