Google Phone app discontinues Nearby Places search feature: Here's why
The Google Phone dialer app on Android has discontinued the Nearby Places search feature, as was anticipated in early February. The app no longer allows users to search for businesses using the top search field, which previously hinted at "Search contacts and places" but now only suggests "Search contacts." Furthermore, the option for "Nearby Places" has been removed from the settings.
Reasoning and future plans
Google has justified the removal of the Nearby Places feature by stating that it was used by "only a very small number of people." The tech giant is now encouraging users to utilize Search or Maps to find phone numbers. This change will allow Google to concentrate on enhancing the quality, reliability, and innovation in phone calling experiences. The company has hinted at more updates planned for 2024.
Recent and upcoming features in Phone app
In 2023, Google introduced new Call Screen AI features, expanded the support for Hold For Me and Direct My Call to additional countries, and launched Call Screen transcripts on Pixel Watch. The latest Pixel Feature Drop includes a "Hello?" button to prompt silent callers and an "I'll be right there" option to buy users more time before answering. These enhancements are part of Google's ongoing efforts to improve the phone calling experience for its users.
