Spam calls are universally terrible, and Google is taking steps to help you ignore them by automatically sending spam calls to voicemail instead of letting them ring, as spotted via 9to5Google.
Google Pixel phones will automatically send spam calls to voicemail
Shutting down spam before it even rings
Shutting down spam before it even rings
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The Google Phone app already flags spam numbers and lights up the screen bright red when one comes in (as seen in the image above), but the new spam filtering goes a step further, sending robocalls straight to voicemail without even bothering you with a missed call notification.
Of course, this requires Google to accurately identify spam calls, which is a constant cat and mouse game between spammers and the software company. But if it even stops a few spam calls from interrupting your day, it’ll already be a big improvement.
The new feature should be rolling out worldwide over the next few weeks in Google’s default Phone app on Android. If you have a Pixel, Nexus, or Android One device, you already have the feature on your phone. Other Android users can install it manually through the Play Store.
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