The Phone by Google app for Android will now announce who is blowing up your blower, it has emerged.
The sleuths at XDA Developers have found a Called ID announcement feature within the latest version of the stock Android app that ships on Pixel phones and is also available to download for third-party Android handsets.
Naturally, the feature is pretty self-explanatory, but will allow users to choose whether they wish the name to be announced when they’re wearing a headset or all the time. Some headphones are already capable of this, so it’s good to see Google bring the feature to the main app, especially as it’ll provide some relief for visually impaired users.
Users can find the setting within the Settings > Caller ID announcement portion of the Phone app, which can be downloaded from the Play Store for the best Android phones from today.
The app, which arrives as standard on Pixel phones can also be used on phones that run different user interfaces – and have different stock phone apps – like Samsung’s One UI. One of the app’s main purposes is to protect users against spam from scammers and telemarketers, and it already offers extensive caller ID coverage on the home screen.
This app also harnesses the incredibly useful Hold For Me tool, which will enlist the Google Assistant to do do the dirty work and wait for the human to pick up while you go about your day.
Users can screen unknown callers, access visual voicemail, record their calls (with a disclosure), as well as the ability to share vital details with the emergency services without speaking.
With Google I/O kicking off tomorrow, it’s possible Google will officially preview this feature alongside Android 12, the new Pixel Buds and much more. What are you hoping to see at Google I/O? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
