The Google Phone app could get an iPhone-style makeover

• The Google Phone app is testing a new iPhone-inspired call screen layout.

• Dedicated accept/reject buttons can simplify call management for Android users.

• The new layout is currently being tested and may not be immediately available to all users.

Almost all major Android phones, including those from Xiaomi and OnePlus, use the Google Phone app as their default dialer app. Samsung is the only exception, sticking to its internal app. Over the years, Google has continually improved its dialer app with features like call recording, smarter spam blocking, audio emoji, and a sleeker design. The company is currently testing a new incoming call screen UI for the Phone app, which appears to be inspired by the iPhone.

Currently, in the Google Phone app, you swipe up on the phone icon to answer a call in the Google Phone app, while swiping down rejects it. This differs from iPhones and Samsung devices, which show two buttons on the incoming calls screen. You press green to accept the call and red to reject it.

The folks at Android Authority have been informed that Google is testing a new incoming call screen in the latest version of the Phone app (v145.0.672690850) with a similar approach.

Left: Current Google Phone incoming calls screen; Right: New layout of the incoming calls screen, similar to that of an iPhone.

As screenshots show, the Google Phone app may soon display dedicated accept and reject buttons on the incoming call screen. For easy access, the accept button is on the right, while the decline/reject button is placed on the left. This layout is similar to that of the iPhone.

On Samsung phones, the green accept button is placed on the left, while the decline button is on the right.

Google appears to be testing this new incoming call screen layout via a server-side switch. So, you may not see it even after installing the latest version of the Google Phone app on your phone.

Dedicated call accept and reject buttons are better than swiping up/down

The dedicated red and green buttons should help new users quickly understand how to accept or reject calls on their new Android phone. Admittedly, sometimes it took me a few seconds to realize that I needed to swipe down to decline a call on the Google phone’s incoming call screen, especially after switching from a Samsung or iPhone.

As Google works on redesigning the incoming call screen, it should also consider displaying a larger image of the contact for a better appearance.

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