Google Voice is getting some useful new features as a part of its latest update. Google aims to improve the calling and usability experience of Google Voice with the latest set of enhancements, which it has included based on user feedback.
Google Voice can now show why you missed a certain call, i.e., why did your device not ring for a call, call drop reasons, and the ability to delete multiple SMS messages at once.
Know the Reason for That Missed or Dropped Call
You can now check why you missed a call from the Missed Call details section in Google Voice. The app will display why your device did not ring, be it because your device was on Do Not Disturb mode or whether it was set not to receive incoming calls. You can then tap on the reasoning to fix the issue.
Google Voice will also display the reason when your call fails to connect due to poor network connectivity or other network issues. Apart from Redial, an option to make the call using your phone’s mobile network will also be shown.
A simple but useful addition to Google Voice with this update is the ability to delete multiple SMS messages at once. You can tap on the avatar of the SMS threads you want to delete and then tap the trash icon to delete them all at once. This feature will also be available for Google Voice on the web.
Caller ID Now Available for Google Voice iPhone Users
The Caller ID feature is also making its way to iPhone owners using Google Voice. This means iPhone users will now be able to see their number as Caller ID for any forwarded calls made to their Google Voice number instead of the caller’s number. The feature is disabled by default, and if you own an iPhone, you need to enable it from Google Voice settings manually.
Google notes in its announcement on the Workspace Updates blog that Caller ID, Call Drop Reason, and the ability to delete multiple SMS messages are already available for all Google Voice users. Only the Missed Call Reason feature is still being rolled out.
Google tends to sparingly update Google Voice with new features, though it did give the service a redesign in 2020 and added dark mode support along with it. Earlier this year, Google revoked the ability to automatically forward Google Voice messages to your carrier’s phone number as mobile operators were blocking such messages.