Hold the phone: Google Assistant could take your place in call queues
The Pixel 4 could be taking your tedious calls into its own hands once Google Assistant is upgraded
Google could be upgrading its call screening features to give Google Assistant the ability to take over your call once you’ve been put on hold. Gone will be the hours spent listening to the dulcet tones of HMRC’s elevator playlist: your Assistant will handle it automatically, allowing you to use that waiting time to do something more productive until there’s an actual human back on the other end of the call.
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According to 9to5Google, a source who is “familiar with the company’s plans” says that exact details of the new feature are unclear at this point. The source would reportedly be surprised if the long-awaited Pixel 4 launches with this capability but it’s certainly an upgrade in the making.
Journalist Stephen Hall explained via Twitter that the feature could potentially be named “Hold my Phone”, which, as one Twitter user pointed out, is very Google indeed. Supposedly, activating the feature will be as easy as pressing a button whilst on a call.
It’s rumoured the unveiling of the new feature will likely come at Google’s event in October. At last year’s event, Google revealed an all-new call screening feature for Assistant alongside the Pixel 3 and 3 XL handsets – the feature has thus far remained exclusive to these phones, much to the annoyance of the wider Android community.
The screening feature allows users to navigate around telemarketers by allowing the Google assistant to answer calls from unknown numbers and provide a transcript to ensure you don’t miss any important information.
At the same event, Google introduced an automatic appointment booking function, which allows the Assistant to book your appointments for you. The feature was well-received, but has reportedly not been widely adopted.
Then, of course, there’s the Pixel 4. Whilst the release date of Google’s new smartphone is still unknown it’s speculated that it will also be at this year’s October event, following suit with previous models. Whether or not the new automatic queueing function will make an appearance is up for debate but on behalf of frustrated callers everywhere, we sincerely hope the rumours are true.