Samsung Galaxy phones already let you screen incoming calls with a feature known as Bixby Text Call. However, this feature requires manual activation, unlike Google’s solution for its Pixel phones. It looks like Samsung has some plans to change that with the next major One UI upgrade.
Code within the latest One UI 8.5 build spotted by Android Authority has revealed strings mentioning an automated call screening process, thereby alleviating the pain of manually activating call screening.
<string name=”cu_call_screening_numbers_to_auto_answer_title”>Numbers to auto answer</string>
<string name=”cu_call_screening_numbers_to_auto_answer_list_all”>All unknown numbers</string>
<string name=”cu_call_screening_numbers_to_auto_answer_list_spam_and_scam”>Spam and scam numbers</string>
<string name=”cu_call_screening_numbers_to_auto_answer_list_unknown_numbers”>Unknown numbers except specific ones</string>
In addition to adding unknown numbers to the “auto answer” list, Galaxy smartphone owners should also have granular control of automatic call screening.
This includes the ability to add unknown numbers to the auto screen list, except for pre-specified numbers. Lastly, there will also be an option to automatically screen spam and scam numbers in this fashion.
Inspired by the Google Pixel’s Call Screen feature
Google Pixel users will already be familiar with a similar feature on their devices, known as Call Screen. Like Samsung’s upcoming feature, Call Screen allows Pixel smartphones to automatically screen calls based on the options set by the user. Based on the strings seen above, Samsung’s implementation may not deviate much from Google’s Call Screen.
Android Authority discovered another set of strings, albeit in Korean, within the same One UI 8.5 build. A machine-based translation of these strings reveals that Samsung may even add a fourth option to screen all incoming calls. The strings also reveal categorization for multiple call screening levels with brief descriptions of their functions.
Aside from the fourth “All numbers” option, Galaxy smartphone users will be able to choose from “High,” “Medium,” and “Low” screening levels. While choosing High should block all unknown numbers, Low will limit screening to Spam and scam numbers. With Medium, users can screen “spam and scam numbers, international calls, numbers with blocked caller ID, etc,” per the translated strings.
However, the publication was unable to determine whether this fourth screening option would be limited to South Korea or extend to all markets, considering the language used. Assuming it’s the latter, this would give Samsung’s version an advantage over Google Pixel’s Call Screen.
Recent reporting by Android Authority has revealed that Samsung’s upgraded call screening functionality may continue to function even when Do Not Disturb is enabled.
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 is expected to be the next big software upgrade for Galaxy smartphones. Although a beta of the software isn’t publicly available yet, early builds have painted a picture of what to expect. We also learned fairly recently that One UI 8.5 will be based on Android 16 QPR2.
