Google’s New Android Features Fight Scams and Keep Users
▼ Summary
– Google is shifting Android from a single annual update to more frequent releases throughout the year.
– A key new feature is “Call Reason,” which allows users to flag calls to contacts as urgent for the recipient.
– Chrome on Android is introducing pinned tabs that stay at the front of the browser to prevent accidental closure.
– The existing Circle to Search feature is being enhanced to identify potential scam messages via AI Overviews.
– These updates are part of an initial wave of new features following the Android 16 release.
Google is shifting its strategy for Android updates, moving from a single annual release to a more fluid schedule of feature drops throughout the year. This approach allows for faster delivery of security enhancements and user-focused tools. The first wave of these updates brings several practical features designed to improve communication, organization, and safety for Android users.
One of the most intriguing new additions is Call Reason, a tool to ensure critical calls are noticed. When calling a saved contact, users can soon flag a call as urgent. The recipient will see a prominent “It’s urgent!” alert during the ring and a similar marker in their call history if the call is missed. This builds on earlier discoveries of an “Expressive Calling” feature for Pixel phones, which included options to specify call intent and an urgent setting that overrides do-not-disturb modes. While Google hasn’t confirmed all those capabilities for the initial rollout, the foundation for smarter, more contextual calling is clearly being laid.
For better browser management, pinned tabs are now available in Chrome on Android. This feature addresses a common pain point: keeping essential tabs, like reference sites or articles to read later, readily accessible and safe from accidental closure. To pin a tab, users simply enter the tab overview, long-press on the desired tab, and select “Pin tab.” The pinned tab moves to the top of the grid and loses its close button, ensuring it remains persistently visible at the front of the browser.
A significant safety upgrade leverages existing technology to combat digital fraud. The Circle to Search function, which allows users to highlight anything on their screen for an instant Google search, now includes scam detection for suspicious messages. By circling a questionable text or chat, users will receive an AI-generated overview that explains how the potential scam operates. This proactive tool provides clear guidance and recommended next steps, empowering users to identify and avoid phishing attempts and other malicious schemes directly from their messaging apps.
These features represent Google’s commitment to iterative improvement, focusing on tangible quality-of-life and security enhancements. Eligible Pixel devices are receiving a second Android 16 update with additional capabilities like AI-powered notification summaries and expanded parental controls. Android users can expect to see these new tools rolling out soon, marking the beginning of a more responsive and user-centric update cycle for the platform.
(Source: ZDNET)
