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Google brings ‘vibrate then ring’ option to Pixel smartphones

Google has quietly rolled out a new option for Pixel devices which allows the ringer to vibrate first and then gradually start to ring at your set volume. Now, that feature appears to be widely rolling out to all Pixel devices.

We noticed a new option last week on the Pixel 4 which gave the device the ability to vibrate and then ring with incoming calls, but at the time it wasn’t consistently showing up on older Pixel devices. In the time since, Android Police and XDA cite reader reports of the feature showing up on Pixel, Pixel 2, Pixel 3, and Pixel 3a devices and their XL variants too.

The feature is available in Settings > Sound > Vibrate for calls. Once switched over, the feature will use the vibration motor as soon as a call is coming in but slowly bring in the ringer until it reaches full volume as the call goes unanswered. The vibration goes on for about 5 seconds before the ringer starts going off. It won’t go over your set volume level when it does ramp up. It slowly goes from silent to the previous setting over the course of a few seconds.

We’re not sure how widely this feature is rolling out to older Pixels, but it’s certainly an appreciated option. I’d imagine it could be useful in meetings as it gives you a chance to silence the phone before it makes noise without having the phone constantly in vibrate-only mode.

Sound off in the comments if the feature has appeared on your device!

The “vibrate then ring” option is rolling out to older Pixels

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