Apple shared a lot to share with its announcement of iOS 26 during WWDC 2025 Keenote on yesterday (9 June). Not only the iPhone software will get a dramatic makeover when it was later released, it will fall with Apple’s new liquid glass design, but many new features were introduced which are coming in the core apps of the iPhone.
In particular, I am excited that Apple made it easy to reduce the amount of spam calls for iPhones, thanks to a new feature called call screening. But after seeing the call screening demo in action, it is nowhere to have some pixel phones of Google when it comes for the same task. I know this because I religiously help me take a phone call on the call screen with my Pixel 9 Pro XL, to rely on Google Assistant to take me to take action to take actionable decisions.
The version of Google separates how it can come up with relevant reactions – while the implementation of Apple only calls to see if they are spams or not. Without relevant awareness tasks, it proves how Apple Intellith still provides other AI leaders such as Google, what is playing for it.
Call screening may have less spam calls
The good thing about call screening is that you can actually work with low spam calls in your life, which is always a good thing. This iOS 26 feature will automatically take calls from unknown numbers quietly in the background; If they are real humans and share their reactions, your iPhone will proceed to the ring – which appears to be a transcription of their message, is complete with it.
This is a good first step because I like how the call screening will not play your iPhone until it determines that it is not a telemarker or spam message, so that you are saved from dealing with them. In current repetition, the phone call appears on your iPhone with this notification that it is a potential spam call, but it requires your intervention to take the call to find out what it is. With the minimum call screening, you do not need to interact.
Google’s call screen still looks better
The call screen makes me feel that I have a real assistant that is taking them to me
While we found only about call screening in iOS 26, Google’s call screen feature still seems better than my perspective – how much google feature does more to field phone calls. Google assistant not only screens a phone call, but also hears the reactions from people as to why they are calling. It gives you relevant actions to respond, showing you the strength of Google’s AI.
Those relevant reactions come in the form of quick answers that pop up in the app, where you call what action to take. For example, if the call is about a package delivery, you will find reactions that can make the collar to leave the package from the door, return the second time, or something else.
I have also used a call screen on Pixel for other things, such as asking a friend a trick date that I have done. Google accessory is smart enough to explain what they are asking and give me relevant reactions to choose, such as telling them that I will be on time or maybe to reinstate it.
I can’t tell you enough how the call screen is such a godgent because I have started using it first with Pixel 8 Pro. When I get stuck in a meeting, where I can’t physically call, or simply do not want to talk at the other end of the line, the call screen makes me feel that I have a real assistant who is calling on me. This will be difficult for Apple to match.
Apple Intelligence can still redeem itself
While Apple’s call screening seems to have a lack of Google offering reactions, I still hope that there is more to come with this feature. This week Apple did not have a complete deep dive in Intelligence because in last year’s program, Apple indicated that it would be more shared around it in the coming year, the call screening could eventually make the same awareness the same as the version of Google.
Perhaps the appropriate Apple is saving an event to introduce the appropriate Apple Intelligence features with iOS 26? I hope that till now it proves to be absolutely how Apple is still leading its rivals when it comes to offering strong AI abilities.
Siri has certainly a big role to fill with call screening if it is going to be more than being in the phone call only for a phone call, as I suspect that it is not only intelligent to move the conversation correctly-but also be sufficient to take action.
