Google is working on a significant innovation for its Google Phone app to improve the user experience and make communication processes more transparent. According to information revealed by an examination of the code in the tech giant’s latest app version, the company is developing a feature that will allow users to specify the “why they’re calling” when making a call. This feature, discovered through APK analysis, is still in development but appears to have the potential to fundamentally change calling habits on Android phones in the future.

The person you’re calling will be able to see why you’re calling

Coded “expresso” and defined as “Expressive Calling,” this feature enhances calls with visual and haptic feedback. The main purpose of this system is to allow users to select a specific “Reason for Calling” just before pressing the call button. With this feature, when your phone rings, you’ll see not only the caller’s name but also the reason for the call. This could be a great convenience, especially for those unsure whether to answer a call.

Among the options available to users are ready-made phrases suitable for everyday use, such as “Chatting,” “I have news to share,” or “A quick question.” The Google Phone app requires SMS permission to convey this reason to the other party. When you select a reason and initiate the call, this information is displayed as a message on the other party’s incoming call screen or notification panel. In other words, the system uses the text messaging infrastructure to convey the context of your call to the other party before the phone even picks up.

The most striking and perhaps most crucial aspect of the feature is the fourth option, the “Emergency” notification. If the person you’re calling has this feature enabled and you mark the call as “Emergency,” the system can disable Do Not Disturb mode. This allows urgent calls to play a sound and vibrate, even if the other party’s phone is on silent. Furthermore, if such calls are not answered, a special “Emergency Call Missed” alert appears on the notification screen instead of a standard missed call.

It’s not yet clear when Google will release this new feature or what the final version will look like. However, if the feature is released, it’s likely to be exclusive to Google Pixel phones initially. Whether it will eventually come to other Android devices remains to be seen. So, would you prefer a feature like this that would allow your phone to ring in an emergency, even when in “Do Not Disturb” mode?