Highlights
• Google is introducing a new tweak to the Call Screen settings menu.
• All settings under one single protection level menu with three options.
• The protection level options include Maximum, Medium and Basic.
One of the most useful features you will find on a Google Pixel smartphone is the call screen. The call screen handles a lot of tasks that other smartphone brands may require the user to handle them manually. For example, it can automatically block spam calls and calls from robots.
You also have the option to manually screen calls in order to know why the caller is calling. On the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 Series, Google uses AI to automatically screen calls. So the user may not need to do it manually anymore.
Google is determined to make the call screen even better. Therefore, the company is introducing an update to improve and simplify the call screen menu.
Currently, the call screen provides detailed controls over call screen for different types of calls. These include Spam, Possible fake numbers, First-time callers, and Private or hidden numbers.
Pixel smartphones can automatically screen the calls, decline it, decline robocalls or allow the call to ring depending on the user’s preference.
Google’s Pixel phones have gained recognition for their effective Call Screen feature, which is one of the many smart selling points for the smartphone lineup. This feature efficiently blocks spam and robocalls.
To enhance this experience further, Google is introducing a new tweak to the Call Screen settings menu, consolidating the screening options for incoming calls so that it becomes easier for users to pick what to filter through.
While the update definitely simplifies the interface in an Apple-like manner, it may not please advanced users seeking more control over the functionality.
What’s New with Google Pixel Call Screen?
Google has made some changes to how these menu appears. The company has now placed all these settings under one single protection level menu with three options. The protection level options include Maximum, Medium and Basic.
If you only want to decline known spam calls, you can choose Basic protection level. Medium and Maximum also decline spam calls, however Maximum goes the extra mile to screen suspicious calls. At this level, the Pixel Smartphone will also screen all unknown numbers.
The new call screen menu comes with less details than the previous one. However, it makes things a lot easier and less chunky for new Pixel users. Some users who preferred the detailed menu may not be as enthusiastic about the new design.
Availability of the New Pixel Call Screen Menu
Currently, Google has already started rolling out the new update. However, few Pixel users have received it.
Google on the other hand has not released any rollout schedule for this feature due to how minor it is. However, more users will surely receive it in the coming days.
Faqs
1) Pixel users are offered three protection level choices – Basic, Medium and Maximum.Details?
Ans) The recent update to Google’s Phone app introduces a single Protection Level menu, streamlining the various Call Screen options that were previously available. Users now have three protection level choices: Basic, Medium, and Maximum. With Basic protection, users can solely decline known spam calls. The Medium option not only rejects spam calls but also screens suspicious ones. On the other hand, the Maximum protection level enables the screening of all unknown numbers.
The new Protection Level menu offers a more straightforward and less intimidating experience for users, particularly those who are new to Call Screen. By consolidating the options into three clear choices, Google has made it easier for users to understand and select the level of call screening that suits their needs. This simplified approach ensures that users can efficiently manage unwanted calls without feeling overwhelmed by intricate settings.
While the update is currently rolling out to select users, feedback has been limited thus far, with only one report on Reddit. Dallas Thomas, Android Police News Editor, confirmed the presence of the new Call Screen Protection Level menu in the Phone app v106.0.534575879. As the rollout continues, it remains to be seen how users respond to the revised settings menu and whether further refinements or adjustments will be made based on user feedback.
2) Google’s Phone app brings a new visual aesthetic to the call screen.Details?
Ans) No matter how smart and capable our handheld devices get, they still serve one core function: calling. The Phone app from Google is among the best at doing this, thanks to useful features like Call Screen, Hold for Me, and Clear Calling, and it’s one of the reasons Pixel devices rank so highly among the best Android phones. But features aren’t everything — aesthetics are important, too, and Google is delivering on this front with an update rolling out now that changes the Phone app’s in-call UI.
The new update has kept the familiar bits of the interface from previous iterations, like placing the profile picture, name, and contact number up top along with the bottom-aligned red button to end the call. The biggest change (via 9to5Google) is the placement of the in-call options like mute, keypad, audio output, and call recording. They are now accessible in a card originating from the bottom, with three options visible by default — Keypad, Mute, and the audio output selector.
When you tap the three-dot More button on the card, other options emerge in a row above. The keypad also appears as an extension of this card. The call interface and card background are also dynamically themed, in accordance with Google’s Material You design guidelines.
The previous interface placed all the in-call utility options in the middle of the screen, but it often required two hands to operate. The new card-style layout should be much more convenient for one-handed use — at least when it comes to the call options, as the keypad is actually a bit higher now. If nothing else, it’s a visual upgrade in the sense that all buttons are now part of the same overlay.
The new call interface is rolling out widely with version 98 of the Phone app in the stable channel, and we have it on a few of our devices. On Pixel phones, the changes seem to require additional server-side updates to take effect even on version 98, and they are rolling out gradually. If you have the new in-call interface, you might also notice the new pill-shaped call duration counter in the status bar replacing the floating bubble when you use other apps while on a call.
It’s a minor detail, but makes it a tad bit harder to get to your ongoing call. On the contrary, some people might see it as a welcome change because the floating indicator was quite distracting.