Forget sleek design or powerful cameras, it’s the improved calling that should make you buy a Pixel 7
In our reviews of the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro, we praised the refinements of themes introduced with the Pixel 6. While the jump from the Pixel 6 to the Pixel 7 may take some consideration, you can rest assured you’re getting one of the best Android phones on the market. Many things make the Pixel 7 lineup great, from the sleek design to the phenomenal cameras, but everyday things make and break a phone.
One beneficial feature is Google Pixel Call Assist. Pixel Call Assist isn’t one feature but rather the name given to a collection of features. We rounded up everything included under the Pixel Call Assist umbrella in this article, but here’s a quick summary.
What are the Pixel Call Assist features?
Not all Pixel Call Assist features are included on every phone, but Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro owners have access to all of them.
- Hold for Me: Allows you to leave your phone when you’re on hold.
- Call Screen: Informs you of spam callers.
- Wait Times: Estimates the time you’ll wait on hold.
- Direct My Call: Transcribes automated menus.
- Clear Calling: Reduces background noise in calls.
How helpful is Pixel Call Assist?
When you purchase a phone, you rarely consider the most fundamental mechanic, making a phone call beyond checking network connectivity. Things like the design, cameras, and ensuring regular software updates take precedence over making calls. But Google’s insistence on creating a seamless calling experience will keep me buying Pixel phones for years.
I have never answered a spam call on my Pixel 7 or Pixel 6. When one got through, Call Screen nailed them with 100% accuracy. The last time I was on hold, Wait Times and Hold for Me allowed me to spend less than a minute twiddling my thumbs, despite the hold time being twenty minutes.
Since moving to the UK from the U.S., I’ve lamented the lack of Direct My Call availability. This feature saved my sanity on multiple occasions in the U.S., allowing me to navigate multiple automated menus in seconds.
These features are more noticeable and helpful to any design or camera improvements. After all, what’s the point of a sleek design if you’re chucking your phone at a wall in frustration? But jokes aside, these features will likely impact your life significantly over any iterative improvement in any other area.
Should I get a Pixel 7 just for Pixel Call Assist?
The answer to this question depends on what you currently own. If you shelled out $1,800 for a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, you’re probably satisfied with your fantastic mobile multitasking experience. And if you own a Google Pixel 6a, you’re only missing out on Clear Calling.
But for everyone else, I cannot recommend the Pixel lineup’s suite of assistive calling features enough. They solve many of the fundamental problems that have plagued mobile phones since their inception, and the solutions are so seamless you’ll wonder why it’s taken this long to get around to it.
