Android Authority found evidence that Samsung is developing a dedicated Blocked Calls dashboard within its Phone app, discovered through an APK teardown of One UI 9.5. The feature displays calls blocked over the past 30 days, sorted into categories such as potential fraud, suspected spam, and calls manually blocked by the user, shown via a stacked bar chart. The dashboard was manually activated by the outlet and has no confirmed release date.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-11-12
SamMobile obtained a version of Samsung's Phone app running One UI 9.5 and found the search icon relocated from the top of the screen to the bottom, sitting alongside the Keypad, Recents, and Contacts buttons. The search menu itself also shows minor tweaks, including a new 'Search' header and placeholder text reading 'What are you looking for?' instead of 'Search'.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-11-12
Code found in a Google Phone app beta (version 245.0.1006864670) reveals a new component called BeeslyTransitModeService, linking the Take a Message feature to Transit mode. Strings in the release reference automatically starting Take a Message when Transit mode is enabled and show a new notification reading 'Taking a message - In Transit Mode.'
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-30
A teardown of Android Auto version 18.1.164344-release.daily by Android Authority uncovered new strings indicating a 'Remember this choice' feature for contacts with multiple saved numbers. The strings also show a message confirming when a default number has been set, which users could reportedly change by selecting the contact again. Google has not confirmed the feature publicly, and it is not yet available to users.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-26
Developers have begun releasing apps designed around the iPhone Duo's folding hinge and dual screens, with Apple adding a 'Made for iPhone Duo' badge to highlight ones built for the larger display. Examples include Battlefleet Duo, a board-game-style naval battler that uses tabletop mode for local multiplayer, and Flipcorder, a retro camcorder app that turns opening the device into 'removing the lens cap.' A reviewer who has covered Android foldables for years says their inbox has seen an unusual surge of pitches from indie developers eager to showcase apps for Apple's first foldable phone.
wired.com
· 2026-10-24
Android Authority found code in a recent Phone by Google beta (version 244.0.1001930441-publicbeta-pixel2026) enabling an early, non-functional Compact photo menu for Calling Cards. The feature would sit alongside the existing full-screen photo option and shows four colored tile presets but no way yet to add images from Gallery, Google Photos, or Camera.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-23
Apple's Phone app now includes Hold Assist, which detects when a caller has put you on hold and notifies you when they return, and Call Screening, which questions unsaved numbers before letting them ring through and displays their response on the Lock Screen. Both features arrived with iOS 26 and are toggled on in Settings under Apps > Phone. A third feature, Call Context, is planned for iOS 27 and will use Apple Intelligence to surface relevant information automatically when calling a business.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-10-18
A tech writer reports that enabling Apple's Call Screening feature, introduced in iOS 26 with the 'Ask Reason for Calling' option, eliminated spam and scam calls impersonating their mobile carrier and fake job offers that had been arriving weekly. The feature requires callers to state their reason before the phone rings through to the user.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-10-07
Android Authority found that Google is developing a UI change for the Phone by Google app that would move the Contacts tab back into the bottom navigation bar, alongside Home and Keypad. The feature was uncovered in beta version 240.0.986973448 and enabled through manual tinkering, not yet a public rollout. Currently, Contacts sits in a sidebar menu after Google's Material 3 Expressive redesign removed it from the main navigation last year.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-25
Google is testing a new Gemini feature called 'Call for Me' that lets the AI place phone calls to businesses on a user's behalf, sharing approved personal details to complete tasks like booking reservations or checking stock. The feature is limited to Pixel 11 owners with a Gemini subscription in the U.S. and requires the beta Google Phone app, using the user's own number and allowing them to watch a live transcript or take over the call.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-24
Android devices come with native options to block spam and scam numbers, typically accessible through the Phone or Contacts app. Users who change their mind can just as easily unblock a number using the same apps. The exact steps can vary slightly depending on the phone manufacturer's version of Android.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-19
iOS 27 adds a small feature to the Phone app that displays a festive fireworks banner animation when a user calls a contact whose birthday is saved in Contacts. The detail, spotted by an X user, mirrors an animation Apple already uses on Apple Watch's midnight birthday notifications and New Year's celebrations.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-15
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