In addition to Android 16 QPR2, Google today is rolling out a pair of updates to the Messages (group chat warnings) and Phone (Urgent call reasons) apps.
As we previously spotted, the Phone by Google app will soon beta test a “Call Reason” feature. When calling a saved contact, there’s a new “Mark call as urgent?” card with a “Notify” button. After it’s sent, the status changes to “Notified.”
Whether you’re locked out or concert tickets are about to go on sale, let your friends know which conversations can’t wait.
On the other end, the incoming call screen will show “It’s urgent!” above the name. The prominent speech bubble is accompanied by an animated siren emoji. This flag will also be noted in call history afterwards. Call Reasons are officially “coming soon.”
Meanwhile, Google Messages will let you easily leave and report group chats if you’re invited by an unknown number. The alert takes the form of a card above the text field. Google explains how “Unknown sender added you” with the number listed first followed by how many people are in the thread. Messages will note if anybody you know is part of the conversation, with a link to “group safety tips.”
Your options are “Stay in group” or “Leave group.” The latter lets you Block the number that added you and Report spam before leaving.
In a similar vein, Circle to Search will let you highlight questionable messages to check whether it’s a scam. AI Overview will use information from across the web to confirm. This might include pointing out that “guaranteed high returns” are “major red flags in investing.” It will also tell you to “not provide any personal information, invest money, or click any links associated with this message.”
The idea is to let you screen suspicious messages without switching apps, with Circle to Search working in any chat service.
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