Android Update Alert: Soon, You Might Not Know How to Hang Up Your Phone!

Google’s Phone app may soon introduce a new way to answer and end calls in an upcoming update. If implemented, this change will likely be communicated to users, though it’s important to be cautious to avoid potentially awkward situations.

There are hints that Google may soon modify how users answer and hang up calls on their Android smartphones, at least within its official Phone app. According to 9to5Google, who analyzed the latest beta version of the app, several lines of code suggest this new functionality.

Currently, the Phone app requires users to swipe up to answer a call and press a button to hang up. However, Google has been exploring different ways to interact with incoming calls. Last year, some testers noticed the introduction of “Decline” and “Answer” buttons on the interface.

Google Reimagines Answering and Ending Calls on Android Smartphones

The app has traditionally allowed users to answer calls with the same swipe gesture. However, a radical change may be on the horizon, as indicated by another test earlier this year and from what can be deduced from the code in version 177 of the Phone by Google app, as analyzed by experts. A few months ago, another beta version introduced a new pill-shaped interface when a call comes in.

This new element replaced the previous layout at the bottom of the screen. To accept a call, users would need to swipe right, whereas a swipe left would decline the call. This interface, tested in March in version 166, has not yet been activated in the stable releases of the app. However, it appears that Google is seriously considering implementing it.

Additionally, another feature in version 177 involves tapping the screen to answer a call. Two lines of code in this version suggest users may soon have the choice between using the new swipe gestures and simply tapping the screen to answer calls. It’s crucial for users to carefully select their preferred method in the app’s settings.

Users will also need to familiarize themselves with this new gesture, which might lead to accidental hang-ups or call answers during the adjustment period. The introduction of this feature in the Phone by Google app is expected to coincide with the app’s transition to the new Material 3 Expressive design language.