What you need to know
- Google has added a new Verified Calls feature to its Phone app to help users confirm the identity of the business that's calling them.
- It works similarly to the Verified SMS feature that Google introduced late last year.
- Verified Calls is now rolling out to users in Brazil, India, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S.
In December last year, Google introduced a new Verified SMS feature in Messages to enable a safer messaging experience for users. Google has now announced a similar feature for its Phone app (opens in new tab), dubbed Verified Calls.
The feature shows the caller's name, logo, the reason for calling, and a verification symbol that indicates the business has been authenticated. Google says it doesn't share any personally identifiable information with businesses to ensure that your data stays private.
Before a business calls you, it sends information such as their phone number, your phone number, and the reason for calling to Google's Verified Calls server. Google then sends all the information to the Phone app on your device. When the business calls you, your device compares the incoming call information with the information received from Google's server. If the information matches, the call will be displayed as a Verified call in the Phone app. Your phone number and the reason for calling is deleted from the Verified Calls server within minutes of verification.
The Verified Calls feature will be available in only five countries initially: Brazil, India, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S. In the near future, the feature is expected to become available in more countries across the globe. Google has also confirmed that its Phone app will be available for download on more non-Pixel devices starting later this week.
