Google has officially launched Calling Cards, a new feature in its Phone app that lets Android users personalise how calls appear on their screens. The update allows full-screen contact images, styled text, and custom backgrounds, moving beyond the small thumbnails that many users are used to.
The feature mirrors Apple’s Contact Posters, introduced for iPhone users in 2023, but Google has adapted its version to align with Material 3 Expressive design updates for Android.
With Calling Cards, users can select photos from their gallery, camera, or Google Photos and pair them with different fonts and colour schemes for displaying names.
However, unlike Apple’s system, Google’s implementation is device-specific. This means users can design Calling Cards for themselves and their contacts, but the designs will only be visible on their own devices—contacts cannot change how they appear on someone else’s phone.
Global Rollout Underway
Calling Cards was first spotted in beta testing earlier in August but is now rolling out publicly with version v188 of the Google Phone app. Google confirmed the feature is being released in phases and will be available globally.
Users may see a banner in the app introducing the option, or they can access it directly from the Contacts menu.
Smarter Voicemail with “Take a Message”
Alongside Calling Cards, Google has also launched a tool called Take a Message. This feature lets the Phone app automatically answer missed calls, record voicemails, and create transcripts. Users can either write a custom greeting or choose from Google’s preset options.
According to Google, all voicemail recordings and transcripts are stored privately on users’ devices.
The transcription feature is currently supported on Pixel 4 and newer smartphones, as well as on the Pixel Watch 2 when paired with a Pixel 6 or later.
A More Personal Phone Experience
With these updates, Google aims to make the Android phone experience more personal and less mechanical—whether by customising the visuals of incoming calls or making voicemail handling smarter and more convenient.
For entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals across Africa who rely on mobile communication, these features could make call management more engaging and efficient.
