Google prepares a remedy for what is undoubtedly the Phone app's most frustrating feature.

Google Phone app update

Google is testing (what will most likely be) a significant quality-of-life update for its Android Phone app.

As with any Google software beta, early previewers get a sneak peek at what’s to come, and 9to5Google discovered a new toggle for the Phone app. The current beta demonstrates that the business is striving to address a major issue that consumers experience with the Phone app: it can convert to landscape mode without notice. To address this, it appears that Google will include a “Controls” toggle in your phone’s settings under “Display.”

The magazine discovered that the toggle clearly references the Phone app, stating, “Keep portrait mode on calls.” The app’s early description states that enabling will “prevent accidental auto-rotation on calls.”

If your phone rotates during a call, it will split into what appears to be a dual-view. The left side would include the other person’s name and backdrop (if applicable), while the right side would have your call controls. It was a startling switch that caught consumers off guard, particularly the one mentioned in Phone Arena’s piece.

A Reddit member asked, “How can I turn this off? “I don’t think there was ever a landscape mode for Google Phone (or dialler), but now it does it for me.” They go on: “Because when I hold the phone up and talk, it forces itself to landscape mode…” This causes a problem because users may not want to disable auto-rotation for their entire device, thus Google is likely working on this modest tweak to minimise that minor (but significant) aggravation.

Call ’em up

Google Phone app update

Google has been working on improving its Phone app this year, following a beta version released in the summer that had a simplified appearance. The layout has removed the old Favourites tab in favour of showcasing who you frequently contact at the top of “Recents.” It’s a significant UI update that consolidates those Favourites into a slim horizontal row directly above the recent calls. Additionally, the special “Favourites” list was removed, so you’ll have to favourite those you call frequently.

A recent deep dive into the Phone app revealed that Google is working to ensure that you don’t miss those crucial calls.

In the name of “urgency,” users would be able to label such calls with a tag, increasing awareness of calls from people you can’t afford to miss. Another feature was discovered, dubbed “Expressive Calling.” When you call someone, you can specify a “call reason,” such as “It’s urgent!” or “Quick question.”