What you need to know
- Google reiterated its Scam Detection features for the Phone app on Pixels, stating it leverages Gemini Nano for background monitoring.
- The company reportedly stated the feature is on its way to Pixels in March 2025 for the Phone and Messages app.
- Google brought its Scam Detection features to the Phone app beta in November, giving users a glimpse into its functions and warning pop-up.
Google is gearing up to finally push its scam detection features for all stable Pixel phones.
The company highlighted its upcoming scam detection features for Pixel phones in a Store blog post (via 9to5Google). The post reiterated a few Gemini Nano-backed features users with a Pixel 9 series can find readily available. However, one feature that has yet to debut is the device's scam detection features for the Phone app.
Google states Gemini Nano "empowers your Pixel to help combat this threat with real-time scam detection during calls." The company says its AI model will analyze conversation "patterns" between you and the other party. The patterns it looks for are most commonly associated/used by scammers. Persons pretending to be a bank rep "urgently" asking for funds or personal information headline the list.
The post says that if your Pixel 9 picks up on any of these malicious tendencies, it will alert you "immediately."
More importantly, the publication claims Google is preparing to roll out its scam detection measures to the Phone and Messages app "in March 2025" for Pixels.
Google first welcomed users in for scam detection tests in November. After its I/O 2024 preview, Phone app beta users received the Scam Detection toggle in the app. The feature runs in the background of your device, constantly scanning incoming calls you've taken for potential malicious intent. Google informed testers that, when Scam Detection is active, you will hear a beep periodically, signaling its working state.
If the AI is triggered, users will receive a red pop-up on their device, stating "likely scam." Users can either tap "End Call" or "Not a Scam" if they know the AI got things wrong.
Like the beta, once this arrives officially, Scam Detection will be disabled by default for privacy reasons. Users will retain the ability to toggle it on or off as they choose within the app's settings. The Messages app's scam features entered testing last October as users saw warnings about potentially risky links and more.
It's worth mentioning that this update could be wrapped in Google's expected March 2025 feature drop for Android 15. Google already started working on Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1 back in November after wrapping up what was coming for its December 2024 drop. It was suspected back then that the update was prepared for March 2025 as the company stated its testing would "run through Q1 2025."
The update will likely drop a month or so before Google's (extremely early) Android 16 update for Q2 2025.
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