Pixel Phone app tests making Audio Emoji more prominent 

Introduced with the Pixel 8a in May, Audio Emoji continues to see updates, like seasonal animations, with Google now testing a more prominent access point in the Phone app.

At the moment, Audio Emoji is accessible from one of two places. The first is as a suggestion chip alongside “Video call” (when available), while you can tap “More” for the grid of call actions, like Call Notes on the Pixel 9 series.

Phone by Google is now testing a rather large “Audio Emoji” button above Keypad, Mute, Speaker, and More. This pill spans almost the entire width of the calling screen, and brings up the existing characters sheet design.

As a reminder, you can disable Audio Emoji entirely in Pixel Phone Settings.

We’ve received one report of this with the latest Phone by Google beta (version 157) last week, and there are now more sightings (via Android Authority) of this in testing. In the screenshot above, you can also see the new video calling button in the top-right corner. However, these two changes do not appear to be widely rolled out. 

More on Pixel Phone:

• You have to enable Call Screen AI replies in the Pixel Phone app
• Pixel Phone app rolls out real-time Scam Detection in beta 
• Google Phone appears to be testing a new incoming call UI

Thanks Osvaldo