Google’s Phone app on Pixels and other Android devices features caller ID andspam protection. Thanks to this, you may know that a scammer or business is calling you even before picking up the call. But in many cases, you might have noticed the Phone app failing to identify calls from unknown businesses. Google seemingly plans to fix this with a “Lookup” option.
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@AssembleDebugspotted the Lookup button in the Google Phone beta v127.0.620688474 release. The option appears when you select an unknown number in your call log from the Recents tab. Tapping on Lookup will bring up a list of apps that can handle web searches, including the Google search app. Selecting this option will lead to a Google search of the unknown number. If the call was from a business, its listing should show up to help you identify it.
Lookup won’t replace Truecaller or other similar caller ID apps. Google’s implementation will only help you identify calls from businesses with an online presence rather than individuals.
PiunikaWebnotes that Google has already rolled out a similar ‘Number search’ feature with the March 2024 Pixel Feature Drop in Japan. Lookup is seemingly Google’s international take on the same feature.
Google Phone app could get other small tweaks
Besides Lookup, Google is also working on a slight revamp of the Emergency number call interface in the latest Phone app beta. The tweaks are relatively minor and do not bring any functionality changes.
Left: Old UI, Right: New Emergency call UI
Since Lookup and the revamped Emergency number call UI have shown up in the latest Phone app’s beta release, their public rollout should not be far away. If you cannot wait that long and have a rooted Android phone, you can enable flags “45531185” and “45428163” in the Google dialer app package to try out these features right away.
Last month, Google was spotted working on a new option that allows you to switch from voice to a Meet video call with a tap right from the Phone app. This feature has yet to roll out widely, and it is possible that Google could club all these changes together and release them as part of the nextPixel Feature Drop.
