Google phone app adding 'Lookup' feature for unknown numbers

For Android users, Google is working on a new feature that will allow them to instantly identify unfamiliar phone numbers from their list of recent calls. The capability, dubbed "Lookup," was made public by AssembleDebug, a user. It uses the entered unknown number to launch a Google search. This move is an attempt to counteract the growing amount of spam calls coming from phone numbers that are hidden.

The Google Phone app, standard on Pixel phones and available for other Android users, is introducing the Lookup button. This feature is found next to options such as "Block" and "History," visible when a recent call is selected. The Lookup feature is being developed as a countermeasure, against the increasing number of spam calls from disguised numbers that mimic local calls.

Currently, many users manually copy unknown numbers and paste them into a Google Search to identify them. This process can be time-consuming, especially when the same number calls repeatedly. The new Lookup feature aims to simplify this process, by eliminating the need for manual copying and pasting of unknown numbers into a search engine. This might also reduce dependency on third-party services such as Truecaller.

AssembleDebug also discovered that Google plans to incorporate Gemini email summaries into the Android version of the Gmail app. This feature, currently existing as a "Summarize this email" button beneath an email's subject line, will provide a summary when pressed.