Google may have just solved the problem of knowing which is a spam call and which isn't.
The California-based company recently announced it is releasing a new Google Voice feature that warns users if a call is from a "suspected spam caller."
The feature will come to all Google Voice customers, but its arrival will be delayed for some.
Google Voice Spam Call Warning Details
Google mentioned in a post in its Workspace Updates blog that it is adding a "suspected spam caller" label on all calls the company believes to be spam.
The company mentioned it is using the same artificial intelligence that identifies billions of spam calls across its calling ecosystem to determine who is a spam caller and who is not.
As a result, the warning will appear on the incoming call screen and in the user's call history. Users can still answer this call to confirm the caller's intention and remove the warning should they be deemed legitimate.
A screenshot showing Google's new spam call warning feature.
Doing so will make the spam caller warning not appear for that number again. However, if the call was indeed confirmed to be from a spam caller, users can let Google know and put the caller's future calls from that number directly to voicemail.
Although knowing which call is spam or not is a great tool to have, Google Voice has had the ability to automatically filter spam calls to voicemail for years, per The Verge.
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The company added a "Filter Spam" feature in 2016 that Google Voice users can toggle on or off in the settings to sift through spam calls and legitimate ones, per Android Police. However, this version of its new spam call warning feature may not be great for Google Voice customers who frequently get calls from unknown numbers.
To let calls with unknown numbers get through the filter, Google Voice users must turn it off by going to their device's security settings and toggling the "Filter Spam" option on or off.
Turning it off allows calls from unknown numbers to reach a user, but it also allows spam calls to get through.
With the new warning label, Google Voice users need not consider switching the filter on at all.
Additionally, the new spam call warning will only work when the "Filter Spam" option is off. Should it be on, Google Voice will use the filter instead of giving the new warnings.
There is no admin control for the spam call warning feature.
When Will The Feature Arrive?
As previously mentioned, the new spam call warning feature will be available to all Google Voice customers.
However, there is a catch: Google mentioned that the feature would be gradually added to all Google Voice customers within 15 days starting on Dec. 29.
As a result, the feature may be available to some but not others today or in the next few days.
Those that don't have the feature may want to occasionally check their device to see if they have the new spam call warning feature or not.
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