Google adds iPhone-like ‘Calling Cards’ to its Phone app

You can’t acceptable your ain Calling Card, but you tin usage them to customize however different contacts look erstwhile they telephone you.

Google’s Phone app is adding “Calling Cards” that fto you customize the quality of interaction screens for incoming calls. They’re akin to the Contact Poster feature that iPhone users person had since 2023, allowing Google Phone app users to regenerate the teeny interaction photos that look erstwhile idiosyncratic is calling you with full-screen images and stylized names.

The update is portion of Android’s Material 3 Expressive plan connection overhaul, which Google utilized to trial a revamped Phone app interface successful June. Calling Cards started appearing successful beta versions of Google’s Contacts and Phone apps earlier this month, but present they’re getting a nationalist merchandise successful mentation v188 of the Phone app. Google says Calling Cards volition beryllium disposable worldwide, and are being rolled retired “in phases,” truthful they mightiness instrumentality a portion to look for everyone.

When the diagnostic becomes available, Phone app users volition spot a banner connected the Home tab that reads “Introducing calling card: Customize however you spot your interaction erstwhile they telephone you.” Tapping connected this takes users to the Calling Card page, but you tin besides navigate to it manually successful Contacts. From there, Calling Cards tin beryllium created for each interaction by selecting an representation from the device’s camera, gallery, oregon Google Photos, and choosing a font and colour enactment that volition beryllium utilized to show the contact’s name.

Unlike Contact Posters connected iOS, you can’t plan your ain Calling Card that volition look for different contacts erstwhile you telephone them. Google’s Calling Cards lone fto you acceptable customized screens that are circumstantial to your device, truthful you’ll person to acceptable these for each idiosyncratic individual if you privation to usage the feature. Those contacts can’t edit however their Calling paper appears connected your device, however, truthful you tin person immoderate amusive with however you customize them.

This is rolling retired alongside a caller “Take a message” feature for the Phone app that automatically answers and transcribes voicemails erstwhile you miss a call. Users tin grounds a customized greeting that callers perceive erstwhile leaving a voicemail for Take a Message, oregon prime from 1 of the disposable greeting presets. Transcripts and voicemail audio tin beryllium recovered successful the Phone app Recents tab, and Google says that each messages are “stored privately connected your device.” The diagnostic is disposable connected Pixel 4 phones oregon newer, and connected Pixel Watch 2 models oregon newer erstwhile paired with Pixel 6 oregon much caller Google telephone models.