A new rumor says the upcoming Pixel 4 will have a feature where Google Assistant can take over calls while the owner is put on hold, helping them avoid listening to "on hold" music and being notified when a human caller is finally on the other end.
This marks the latest feature the Pixel 4 is rumored to have. If it turns out to be legitimate, it belongs in a growing list of Google Assistant-based features that make the Pixel experience better by using artificial intelligence.
How The Feature Works
As 9to5Google reports, the feature is pretty simple. When the person is on a call with a business or establishment and is put on hold with music playing in the background, they can tap a button on the display to inform Assistant that the call is on hold. Assistant then takes over the call while the owner focuses on other tasks. Assistant will then let the owner known when an actual human jumps back on the other end of the call.
Exactly how Google will pull this off is unclear at the moment, but given its many experiments in AI, including Google Duplex, the feature doesn't seem all that surprising. According to 9to5Google's sources, the feature is apparently still in early development, so chances are some aspects will change before launch. They claim it's going to arrive eventually, but it would be surprising if it was to be made available day one.
Call Screen
The feature is highly reminiscent of "Call Screen," which Google announced at its October event last year. Call Screen also made phone calls friendlier, but in a rather different way — it allowed users to "screen" unwanted calls, notify the other end of the call that Google Assistant is screening the call, and view transcriptions on the display as it happens.
Being on hold is a common scenario in most people's lives, especially those who contact establishments and businesses on a daily basis. If this rumor turns out to be true, Assistant will make being on hold less annoying. Provided it's indeed on the cards, it's not clear, however, whether or not Google plans to roll it out to other devices outside the Pixel 4. Some of its most impressive features, such as Night Sight, are exclusive to Pixel handsets. This is a likely scenario for this feature, though Google could always surprise everyone by expanding it to other handsets. Time will tell, as always.
Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
