At present, many Android phones have their own "call recording function", and the phone application of Google's Pixel series also integrates this function. However, due to legal reasons in some regions, many mobile phones do not support this function, and a third-party call recording application needs to be downloaded from the Google Play Store to implement this function.
Google will stop third-party apps from requesting the Accessibility API for remote call recording starting May 11. As a result, all third-party apps will not be able to use the call recording feature. Google claims that this practice is set for privacy protection.
As early as the Android 6.0 version system, Google has been constantly restricting the call recording function. Since the Android 10 version system, developers have been using the Accessibility API to record calls using the microphone. Now Google has blocked this channel, and there is no way for third-party recording applications to perform call recording operations through normal means.
Google said that this approach only restricts third-party applications from recording calls, and the call recording function natively supported by the system will not be affected, and the default call recording function can continue to be used normally.
Mobile phone products sold in China will hardly be affected by this. The system natively provides a feature-rich call recording function, and can perform automatic recording and recording functions for specific numbers.
Most mobile phones use Google Dialer as the default dial-up call application, which can perform call recording function in supported regions, but when using this function, both parties on the call will receive a corresponding prompt tone, and then start recording.
Two exceptions are Samsung and vivo, which still use their own dial-up calling apps that offer automatic call recording.
After the Android 6.0 version, Google has closed the official call recording API, but developers can still record calls by recording the microphone. But this can be risky, because users can't be sure that your call recording has been quietly uploaded by the developer.
In order to further protect user privacy and prevent call records from being leaked, Google released a new policy for the Play Store yesterday. According to the new Play Store policy, Google will officially remove all call recording apps from the Google Play Store on May 11. Does this mean that we will no longer be able to use the call recording feature in the future?
The new Play Store policy only applies to the Google Play Store, but users can still obtain such apps through third-party sideloading (with the risk of privacy leakage). Secondly, this policy restricts the call recording application, and most Android devices have a built-in call recording function. Due to different policies in various countries and regions, the call recording function is not allowed in some regions. So after the implementation of Google's new policy on May 11, will it affect the original call recording function? In fact, Google has been slowly deprecating and deleting the call recording interface on multiple Android versions. This is for the privacy and security of users, and to comply with the call recording laws and regulations of different countries and regions. And after Google's new policy takes effect next month, these third-party recording apps will no longer be available at all.
However, a new policy recently issued by the Google Play Store stated that all third-party call recording applications will be completely removed next. Users can no longer find and download similar apps from the store, but if your phone system has a built-in call recording function, it will not be affected. This change will officially take effect, possibly to further protect the personal privacy of users.
It is understood that Google has been killing the call recording function in the Android system for years. In Android 6.0, there was an API to help developers easily integrate call recording into other apps, but it was quickly shut down by Google. After that, some developers found other ways to implement this function, which was blocked again in Android 9.0. In the Android 10 system, Google even completely blocked the call recording through the microphone, blocking many methods for developers.
In the end, there is no way, some developers can only use the "Accessibility Service" in the Android system to provide the call recording function for the application. Today, Google directly announced that this practice of walking the accessibility API is also banned, which means that all third-party call recording software may be completely cool. But this change is only for third-party apps, and the system's pre-installed call recording function is not affected.
In recent years, Google has been strengthening user privacy protection and blocking the third-party call recording function, which is also worried that this function will be used by criminals. Some apps may secretly build this function and record in the background of the system at any time. These apps not only record when you are on a call, but also start quietly at other times, causing user privacy leakage.
