Similar to Apple, Google could soon allow you to control how your Calling Cards appear on the phone you're calling.
A big limitation could soon be fixed
One of the biggest highlights of the iOS 17 update was the Contact Posters feature, which displays a full-screen photo of the caller on your iOS device. Google introduced a similar feature last year, called Calling Cards, to its Phone app. Like iOS's Contact Posters, it lets you customize how incoming calls from known contacts appear on your Android smartphone. However, this Android feature has a major limitation compared to its Apple counterpart.
Unlike the Contact Posters feature on iOS devices, the Calling Cards feature doesn't allow you to manage how your own caller ID appears on other people's Android phones. Google quickly identified this limitation, and reports from October last year indicated that it had already begun to address it. In fact, an APK teardown revealed a new "My Calling Card" option in the Phone by Google app, which was non-functional at the time.
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Now, a new APK teardown of the latest beta version of the Google Phone app reportedly reveals a customizable "My calling card" feature. In addition to allowing you to choose a photo of your choice and customize the fonts, it also lets you configure whether your Calling Card appears only for known contacts or even for unsaved contacts you call.
Google's description of the feature states that the person you're calling will "see your name, photo, and other Google info." The app will automatically crop your Calling Card image on the receiver's smartphone depending on their phone's size.
You might wonder what actually happens when the recipient already has your contact saved and has configured a Calling Card for you on their Android device. In that case, the Phone by Google app gives priority to the Calling Card they have configured for you, rather than the one you've set to appear on their device. And as you might have guessed, if the recipient hasn't set a Calling Card for you, then the one you've created will appear on their device.
Which Google Phone app feature do you like the most?
Scam Detection.
75%
Call Recording.
8.33%
Voice Translate.
16.67%
Calling Cards.
0%
Caller ID Announcement.
0%
Better late than never
Steps to configure My Calling Card in Phone by Google app. | Image Credit - Android Authority
The tech giant introduced the Calling Cards feature to Android back in August last year, meaning it took almost 5 months to address a limitation that shouldn't have existed since day one. It's worth noting that the change has currently only been spotted in the beta version of the Phone by Google app.
Although it seems certain that it will come to a stable build of the app, there's no time window on when it's coming. Other than the missing ability to customize how my Calling Card appears on others' devices, I like pretty much everything that the Phone by Google app offers. Features like the built-in scam detector, phone call recorder, and caller ID announcements make the app an ideal calling app.
Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.
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