Google is finally making a big change to the way you make calls on Android, adding a feature iPhone users have had for years with Apple’s CallKit. The Phone by Google app is getting a new update and is rolling out for devices running Android 16.1 and above. The update now allows users to manage third-party internet calls from their native dialer. This means calls from apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Messenger will now appear seamlessly in your main call history alongside traditional cellular calls.
The maddening, piecemeal experience of switching between various apps just to return a missed call becomes much easier with the update. The new “Calling Accounts” option enables users to choose which third-party services can connect to the system. Tap a contact in your log to call them back and Android smartly routes the request through the original VoIP service. In addition to the log integration, the update also brings a more polished incoming call interface that adopts iOS’s simplified design with buttons replacing the previous swipe-based gestures that often conflicted with Android’s system navigation. With Android’s updated telecom framework, Google is effectively turning the default dialer into a universal hub for all digital communication, with a focus on ease of use and a unified interface.
