Apple
TL;DR We’ve spotted clues that indicate Google is working on a “calling card” feature for Android.
The feature may allow for full-screen images and custom fonts for incoming calls.
Speculatively, it could be similar to iOS’ Contact Posters, enabling users to personalize their call display.
Google and Apple frequently look at each other’s operating systems for inspiration on what next to bring to their own. We’ve seen iOS copy features like widgets, free app icon placement on the home screen, and more from Android. On the other hand, we’ve spotted Google working on features like Handoff, which are a page out of Apple’s book. We’ve now spotted clues for an in-development “calling card” feature, which could potentially become Android’s answer to iOS’ Contact Posters.
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What we know about “Calling Cards” The Google Contacts app has slowly built up code for a “calling card” feature over the past few releases. For instance, v4.55 of the app adds the following strings:
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This string alone doesn’t give many clues about what is happening, other than letting us know that users will be set an image as a contact picture and a calling card. The string name suggests the image comes from the calling card itself, so you’d be setting the calling card as the contact picture.
The real ‘aha!’ moment came from a new Calling Card activity, where we spotted “CallingCardFontData” and “CallingCardFullScreenImageData.” This is where things get exciting: custom fonts and full-screen images. Sound familiar?
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