Google could give its Phone app a new coat of Apple-inspired paint

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What you need to know

• The Google Phone app is about to get a makeover, replacing the single call button with a new look that includes dedicated buttons for accepting and rejecting calls.

• The accept button will be on the right and the reject button on the left, unlike Samsung’s layout, which is reversed.

• This feature appears to be in limited testing, so not everyone will see it right away, even if they have the latest version of the app.

The Google Phone app on your Android devices could soon get a makeover, replacing the single button that currently appears when you receive a call.

According to Android Authority, Google is testing a new incoming call screen in the latest Phone app update (version 145.0.672690850), and it looks a lot like the iPhone’s calling interface.

Currently, the Google Phone app uses a swipe method to handle calls: swipe up to answer, down to decline. This is different from iPhones and Samsung phones, which have separate green and red buttons for answering or rejecting calls. People familiar with these setups will likely find Google’s next interface change more user-friendly.

Above the phone button is a “Message” option that makes it easy to send a quick text message, letting the caller know you’re busy or can’t talk at the moment.

The report shows a screenshot of the Phone app’s refreshed incoming call screen, replacing the old slide-to-accept button with dedicated buttons for answering and rejecting calls. This change mirrors the iPhone’s dialer and call screens on many other Android devices, like Samsung’s.

Color-coded buttons make the interface easier to use, providing quick visual cues that help users respond more quickly, especially in busy situations.

To make things easier to access, the accept button is on the right side of the interface, while the reject button is on the left. In contrast, Samsung takes a different approach, with the accept button on the left and the reject button on the right.

It’s hard to say how many people see this feature, as it appears it’s just being tested with a small group of users who have updated to the latest version of the app.

Google appears to be rolling out the new incoming call screen UI with a server-side toggle, so even if you have the latest version of the Phone app, you may not notice this feature yet.