The enhanced scam detection popup teased for Pixel devices at Google I/O back in May | Image credit — Google
The feature is expected to differentiate between spam and scam calls, allowing users to manually report calls as either category. While Google has previously stated that the feature would be opt-in, meaning users would need to activate it manually, recent code discoveries suggest that it might be automatically enabled for certain devices, such as those managed under Family Link.The new scam detection feature is expected to be showcased at the upcoming Made by Google event, where the Pixel 9 series is anticipated to be unveiled. This technology is expected to enhance Google’s existing spam protection measures, which already include features like the built-in “Filter spam calls” option on all Android smartphones and the “Automatically screen and decline robocalls” feature on Pixel devices.
While it’s not yet clear how the “Sharpie” feature will be implemented in detail or what its exact capabilities will be, it represents a significant step forward in Google’s efforts to combat spam and scam calls. By leveraging AI to identify and filter out these unwanted calls, Google is stepping up one of the biggest flexes that Pixel users have on their devices.