New look for answering calls on Google Phone app

Google is experimenting with fresh ways to handle incoming calls in its Phone app, making it easier for users to pick up or decline calls. An APK teardown reveals two new designs being tested: one lets you swipe left or right to answer or reject, and another uses simple tap buttons, similar to what you see on an iPhone. These changes aim to make call handling smoother and more user-friendly.

The swipe option features a pill-shaped design where you slide right to answer (green) or left to decline (red). It includes a neat animation to guide you. The tap-button style offers clear accept and decline buttons, which might feel familiar to iPhone users switching to Android. Unfortunately, the current up-and-down swipe method might not stay as an option, which could disappoint some users.

Google hasn’t decided which design will go live, but offering a choice between these two could be a win for users. These updates might also tie into the Phone app’s new Material 3 Expressive look, bringing a modern vibe. While the changes mean retraining how you answer calls, they promise a more intuitive experience. No official release date is set, but these tweaks could roll out soon, possibly with Android 16. Stay tuned for a better call screen.