Google is testing a feature in its Phone by Google app that will allow users to mark outgoing calls as urgent in advance. The option, called Call Reason, is designed to solve a common problem: recipients often ignore calls because they do not understand how important they are. The information comes from Android Authority.
How Call Reason Works
Before calling a saved contact, the user can enable a special toggle in the app interface. When the call comes in, the recipient will see a prominent Urgent label on their incoming call screen, signaling that the call requires immediate attention. If the call is missed, the indicator remains in the call history as a reminder of its importance.
The feature works only with contacts saved in the user’s address book, which helps reduce the risk of spam or abuse. Testing is underway in the beta version of the app on devices running Android 15 or later.
Expressive Calling: From Urgency to Emotion
Call Reason is not the only update. Clues found in the app’s APK files indicate development of a broader system called Expressive Calling. It would allow the caller to attach animations, emoji, or short messages to a call, which the recipient would see directly on the incoming call screen. The intention is to make communication more expressive without cluttering the interface.
Google has not yet announced release dates for either Call Reason or Expressive Calling. Both features are expected to be integrated into Phone by Google sometime in the first half of 2026.
In Brief
Google is testing Call Reason in Phone by Google — a feature that lets users mark calls to address-book contacts as urgent, with the indicator preserved even for missed calls. Meanwhile, the company is developing Expressive Calling with animations and emoji. These updates aim to make calls more informative, but they are unlikely to launch before 2026.
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