Google’s Phone app gets a fresh look for answering calls

Google is giving its Phone app a makeover, starting with how you handle calls on Pixel phones. The app has always been simple, sticking to the basics with a clean, user-friendly design. While it doesn’t have all the fancy extras you might find in other dialer apps, Google is now testing a new call screen that’s catching attention.

According to Android Authority, the latest beta version (166.0.735169223) of the Phone app swaps out the old up-and-down swipe for something new. Instead of swiping up to answer or down to reject, you’ll soon slide your finger left or right. This change is a big shift from what Pixel users—and folks with phones from brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, or Honor—are used to.

A New Way to Pick Up or Pass on Calls

With this update, answering calls on Android is getting a fresh twist. The new setup lets you slide right to take a call and left to say no thanks. It’s a style you might recognize from some custom Android versions or even the iPhone, where swiping right already means “hello.”

I think this change is a win. The old swipe-down to decline felt clumsy, especially with the button sitting so low on the screen. The updated design spreads things out nicely, making it simpler to decide whether to chat or skip.

More Than Just a New Look

Google isn’t stopping at the call screen. The Phone app has been leveling up lately. The March 2025 Pixel Feature Drop added real-time scam protection, and there’s talk of call filters to help sort through your incoming calls. The new call screen isn’t on our phones yet, but if Google pushes it out to everyone, it could shake up how Android users handle their calls. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on how it feels in action. For now, it’s exciting to see Google mixing things up!