Pixel Phone app working on contextual ‘AI Replies’ in Call Screen

Google updated Call Screen with contextual replies last December, and the Pixel Phone app is now readying “AI Replies” powered by large language models.

About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.

Contextual Call Screen replies today let you “easily respond in a way that fits the situation.” For example, if you receive a call asking you to confirm an appointment, Google will show you suggested responses that are personalized to the call, like “Confirm” or “Cancel appointment.” 

This saves you from having to get on the actual call, and joins generic/universal prompts like: Hello, Can you say more, Who is this, Call me back later, and Thank you.

Google might now take that a step further with “AI Replies.” Strings in version 153 (latest beta) of the Phone by Google app reveal how “Call Assist suggests new AI-powered smart replies based on the caller’s Call Screen responses.” (Call Assist is Google’s high-level name for features like Hold for Me and Direct My Call.)

The existing Call Screen feature is named “dobby” (a Harry Potter reference). AI Replies are referred to as “dobby_AI” and “dobby_LLM” in the Pixel Phone app. It will presumably leverage Gemini Nano.

• <string name=”dobby_ai_generated_replies_switch_title”>AI Replies</string>
• <string name=”dobby_llm_consent_dialog_title”>Turn on AI replies?</string>

Compared to what we have today, this feature will presumably work in more scenarios and provide better responses. Users will have to “Turn on AI replies,” with no such setting existing for the current capability.

Google in the past has alluded to adding “multi-step, multi-turn conversational AI” to the Phone app. With Android 15 Pixel Drop, Google brought next-gen Call Screen, which has a more human-sounding voice, and contextual replies to countries beyond the US.

Thanks to JEB Decompiler, from which some APK Insight teardowns benefit.