You May Not Be Able To Record Phone Calls On Android Smartphones From May 11: Here's Why

Google is bringing further restrictions for third-party call recording apps on Android smartphones. From May 11 onwards, app developers will not be able to offer the call recording feature through third-party apps. This means, that if you are using a smartphone without a built-in call recorder, it will not let you record calls from May 11, which is just a few weeks away.

Google has not officially talked about this development, but it is believed that developers already know about the changes being made behind the scenes.

Also Read: Everything We Know About OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G Ahead of April 28 India Launch

Google is removing access to its Accessibility API for call recording purposes, which means all the third-party apps lose their core functionality.

To be fair, Google has been taking action against call recording for a few years now. It started with the Android 10 version when Google said that the call recording feature won’t be available for users, as part of its privacy and security strategy.

Since then, Google allowed a backdoor entry for such apps via the Accessibility API, which won’t be available from May 11 onwards. Google has sought to dispel legal issues it could face by offering call recording in countries where such practices are termed illegal.

So, what happens to those who want to record calls for different reasons? Google says that any call recorder app pre-loaded by the manufacturer on the smartphone will be able to work without any issues, and need any special permission to work.

Also Read: Google’s Nearby Share Could Soon Become As Good As Airdrop For Macs: What It Means

Besides that, you have a few brands like Xiaomi, Samsung, OnePlus and Oppo among others, who offer their built-in call recorder feature, which will continue to work even after May 11. As for the third-party apps installed later, from next month these apps would lose access to permissions and thereby stop working altogether.

WATCH VIDEO: Why Smartphones Are Becoming Expensive In India, Explains Xiaomi India COO Muralikrishnan B

It is possible that Google might inform these app developers about the changes, and ask them to remove their respective apps before the deadline ends.

Read all the Latest Tech News and Breaking News here