C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Tl; Dream
- Google seems to plan to integrate fraud detection and call screen features in the Pixel Device Setup process.
- Currently, these protective features must be activated manually by users, so there is a good chance that many people do not know that these features exist on their phones in the first place.
- This change can thus increase the user’s use of these crucial safety features.
Google announced Features for scams for pixel units Through the Google Phone app in November 2024. This feature notifies the user in real time about a possible scam that occurs with them during a conversation if it detects common patterns associated with fraud. Equivalent, Pixel’s call screen and spam protection Is an absolute time-saving, so Google Assistant/Gemini can view your calls, respond to them with AI-driven answers, and even reject spam calls automatically.
While the features are good, users need to know that they exist and enable them to take advantage of them. Much as It intends to do with the Find Hub networkGoogle can potentially surface fraud detection, call screen and spam protection features of device setup, which will make many more activate the features and start using them.
Ease APK Demolition Helps predict features that may come to a service in the future based on work code. However, it is possible that such predicted functions may not come to a public release.
The Google Phone V181.0 Beta app includes strings and other code suggesting Google can start offering scam detection, call screen and spam protective features as an option under Pixel device setup.
Code
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 do not directly mention the installation process, we can find the usual “joyball” code name in the string parameter. For reference, the “double” name refers to the call screen and spam protection features probably, while the “Sharpie” code name probably refers to the fraud detection function.
“Joyball” is most likely the code name for setup installation screen, as Pixel Setup Wizard contains many references to it.
Assembledebug / Android Authority
We managed to activate the setup screen in advance of the release to give you a look:
While the setup screen only mentions scam detection, the second screen is called call screen. Furthermore, you can see that an untreated “no thanks” button is present, indicating that the feature is probably optional, and accommodating users can skip it if they want.
Call Screen & Spam Protection and Fraud Detection are Pixel-Exclusive Google phone app features. Since the function is pixel-exclusive, it is safe to assume that the setup screens will be visible on pixel units and not all Android devices. These features are separated from the Google Phone app’s Caller ID & Spam feature, which is available to all Android users if they have the app installed as standard call.