The Google Phone app is rolling out the Caller ID Announcement feature, which will announce the name and number of any incoming calls to help you screen unwanted calls.
Despite being a fairly basic feature, it will certainly be a significant addition that many people will have been anticipating. Other OEMs have offered their own alternatives, but now that the Google Phone app is available on all Android devices and is becoming the default dialer for many Android phones, it’s a significant new addition.
Open Google Phone > Settings > Caller ID announcement to allow the new feature. The “Announce caller ID” feature is disabled by default, but you can set it to “Always,” “Only while using a headset,” or “Never.” This, in conjunction with the blocking options, should allow you to handle unwanted calls with greater precision.
The Caller ID announcement in the new Google Phone build can be particularly useful if you listen to music or general audio and are abruptly cut off due to an incoming call. As an accessibility function, it can be particularly useful for those with visual impairments, as you no longer need to respond to determine if a call is valid. It’s difficult to deny that it’s a very simple dialer feature. It’s a big deal for Pixel owners because the automatic Call Screen feature isn’t yet available outside of the US. As a result, regardless of device, this is a pretty solid inclusion for the rest of the world.
So this isn’t a huge new addition to the Google Phone app, but it’s a significant one nevertheless. If you haven’t downloaded the Google Phone app yet, now is a good time to do so.
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