9 hours ago
Pixel setup could soon include a key step to keep scammers off your phone calls (APK teardown)
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR Google seems to be planning to integrate Scam Detection and Call Screen features into the Pixel device setup process.
Currently, these protective features need to be manually enabled by users, so there's a fair chance many people don't know these features exist on their phones in the first place.
This change could thus increase user adoption of these crucial security features.
Google announced Scam Detection features for Pixel devices through the Google Phone app in November 2024. This feature alerts the user in real-time about a possible scam happening to them during a call if it detects common patterns associated with scams. Similarly, Pixel's Call Screen & Spam Protection is an absolute time-saver, allowing Google Assistant/Gemini to screen your calls, answer them with AI-powered replies, and even decline spam calls automatically.
While the features are great, users need to know they exist and enable them manually to take advantage of them. Much like it intends to do with the Find Hub network, Google could potentially surface Scam Detection, Call Screen & Spam Protection features at device setup, which would get many more people to activate the features and start using them.
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An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
The Google Phone app v181.0 beta includes strings and other code that suggest Google could start offering Scam Detection, Call Screen & Spam Protection features as an option during Pixel device setup.
Code Copy Text Call Screen & Spam Protection Automatically screens calls from suspicious numbers & declines spam Scam Detection Get real-time alerts for potential scams when talking to unknown callers
While the strings above don't directly mention the setup process, we can find the common 'joyball' codename in the string parameter. For reference, the 'dobby' codename is likely referring to the Call screen and Spam Protection features, while the 'sharpie' codename is likely referring to the Scam Detection feature.
'Joyball' is most likely the codename for the setup initialization screen, as the Pixel Setup Wizard contains plenty of references to it.
AssembleDebug / Android Authority
We managed to activate the setup screen ahead of its release to give you a look:
While the setup screen only mentions Scam Detection, the second screenshot does mention Call Screen. Further, you can see that an unhighlighted 'No thanks' button is present, which indicates that the feature is likely optional, and attentive users can skip it if they want to.
Call Screen & Spam Protection and Scam Detection are Pixel-exclusive Google Phone app features. Since the feature is Pixel-exclusive, it's safe to presume that the setup screens will be visible on Pixel devices and not all Android devices. These features are separate from the Google Phone app's Caller ID & Spam feature, which is available to all Android users if they have the app installed as their default dialer.
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