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Google Phone 9.0 hints at support for O’s notification channels, sending photos in calls

Notifications are getting a big revamp in Android O and Google’s apps are beginning to lay the groundwork to support them. Google Phone 9.0 features several strings related to notification channels and might add more messaging options, like sending and receiving photos during calls.

Notification channels give users more control over what types of alerts they receive. In supported apps, users will be able to block whole categories from ever appearing in the notification shade.

According to a teardown by Android Police, future categories include: Incoming calls, Ongoing calls, Missed calls, Voicemails, External calls, and Miscellaneous.

More importantly, users will be able to manage app notifications from one consistent system UI. Other features include the ability to mute and have them return at a later time.

None of those changes are yet live in the app, but with Google I/O fast approaching, they might be enabled by the time the next Android O Developer Preview is released.

One convenient feature that does not appear to be O-specific will allow users to quickly send and receive photos during a call. A related feature is the ability to send a quick text after finishing a call. By default, there are canned responses, like “This is urgent. Call me back,” but users will also be able to add their own.

Google’s Phone app is only officially available for the Pixel, Nexus, and other Android One devices.

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com