How useful is it for users to record searches? and how many problems there are to put this into practice. Because although Spanish law clearly states when this is allowed and when it is not, the truth is that Android does not allow this natively. So you need to find a good third-party app to record calls (not an easy task) or even resort to root.

But this function is among the great innovations of the great rival of Google and Android: Apple will add the ability to record calls to iOS 18. Good news for those who use iPhone and this will also make the teeth of others who prefer Android long. Why is it so difficult to record calls on iOS and Android?

Call recording comes to iPhone with iOS 18

Just a few weeks ago, after learning the news about iOS 18, the Cupertino-based company confirmed: Call recording will come as standard in the system It will also be enhanced with Apple Intelligence, which will allow the AI ​​to transcribe the file and even make summaries. Transcripts will also be saved and we can search through them.

As can be seen on Apple’s iOS 18 page, the iPhone’s Phone application will integrate the option to record calls directly from the menu and, when activated, the iPhone will notify those in the conversation that the recording has started. We have already installed the iOS 18 beta and we have not yet found the button that we have been waiting for so long. Of course, we will have to wait, given that Apple Intelligence has not yet become a reality and that only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be compatible with AI.

One of the points that worried us when we heard the news was whether there would be a call recording function in Spain (the implementation of this function in countries will depend on whether it is legal to record communications under current legislation). Currently and according to Apple website, both the recording and the transcription will be available in Spain.

So what’s on Android?

The fact that iOS 18 integrates call recording as standard is good news for those who use this operating system as an alternative, which means finding a third-party application. someone else has many permissions and is accessing sensitive information.

Recording calls on Android is a difficult task right now, but it wasn’t always like that. Before we go any further, it was possible to do this without any problems on Android Lollipop a decade ago. But version by version, things have gotten more complicated. The truth is that Android has never had a reliable and safe mode This allowed third party apps to record calls, so they used tricks like unofficial APIs to do this, Google took action because of the risk of this in the wrong hands, and it was also with Android Pie that Google started putting up barriers in front of the systems used by call recording apps.

Because let’s not fool ourselves. best way to record calls Quality, acceptable work and function integrated into the mobile phone without rooting. The trick that the surviving apps resorted to was to record the audio of the call using the phone’s microphone using the accessibility options (another little trick), which meant that even if they worked, the quality could clearly be improved. Google got into trouble again because at the end of the day, resorting to accessibility was another trick and they threw these apps out of their store.

However There are still a few on the Google Play Store. Yes, but they chose the middle ground between the prohibited use of accessibility and the difficulty of rooting: replacing the standard Phone app with an app that records calls.

Interestingly, most Android phones have this function. Regardless of the brands that offer it (like Google Pixel, Samsung, Huawei), the majority use the Google phone app, whose interesting functions include spam blocking, caller ID and, yes, recording calls. The problem is only works in some countriesAnd no, although it is legal to record calls without consent, that is, unless you broadcast them, neither Google nor Samsung have enabled this feature in Spain.

In short: Google has blocked methods of recording searches from both the operating system and Google Play policies. What if I want to record calls on an Android? Well, if it comes as standard and you live in a country where it is active, you can do it without any problems. If it does not come as standard, you will have to use third-party applications that record in lower quality, outside the official store. If you have root, the quality will be better.

Hopefully, when iOS 18 call recording happens, Google will catch up and update it: first by unlocking this option in its system, it can be used as standard and there will be no need to resort to other applications, taking inspiration from Apple and making it available as a standard. We enable the option in Spain.

Cover | Alvaro Garcia

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