El Google Phone It's the main calling app found on many Android phones with a pure Google experience. Its latest stable version added a feature that significantly increases its usefulness: floating bubbles While calls are in progress, it's a much more convenient way to manage the conversation without having to stop using other apps.
Google phone adds floating bubbles during calls
El Google Phone It's simply the app you use to make calls from your smartphone and is available on Nexus, Pixel, and Android One phones, as well as other compatible devices via Google Play. Out of habit, you probably have it on your phone. However, of your phone's default app, since that's where you use the keypad to make calls, check your call history, manage frequent contacts, or block numbers. There are other apps that let you make calls, although given the recent cases of data theftWe do not recommend installing other Phone applications from dubious sources.
Therefore, stay with the app Google It is the most sensible option, especially because it offers protection against phone spamcaller ID and nearby location search directly from the dialer. In addition to all these features, the app added a very visual feature: the call bubble, an adaptation of the floating bubble system popularized by apps like Facebook Messenger, but applied to voice calls.
In one of its key versions, version 17, a feature that had been in testing for some time was activated for most users. This feature allows users to... use floating bubbles while a call is taking placeallowing you to access various functions while performing other tasks, without needing to return to the full screen of the scoreboard.
La bubble It displays your contact's photo and, in many cases, the Phone app icon, so you can quickly identify that it's an ongoing call. You can move it anywhere on the screen, just like you would with a Facebook Messenger bubble, dragging it to the side so it doesn't interfere with what you're viewing.
Clicking once on the bubble displays a menu A floating menu, similar to the one that appears when you long-press desktop icons, will appear. From this menu, you can hang up, switch to speakerphone, mute the conversation, or return to the call. The latter option returns you to the full call menu, allowing you to use more advanced features such as adding participants, opening the numeric keypad, or initiating a call. video call.
If you hold down the bubble, in the lower zone Two very visual options appear on the screen: one to hide the bubble and another to end the call. If you hide the bubble, you can still use basic controls from the notification panel, just as before, since it's an option that doesn't disappear and continues to show the call duration and quick buttons.
Thanks to this call bubble, when you leave the dialer you no longer need to search for the call notification or reopen the Phone app to return to the ongoing call and access the mute, speakerphone, and end actions. Now those functions are available. They are always accessible with a tap on the pop-up bubble, without having to switch applications.
How Google Phone's call bubbles work and how to activate them
The system call bubbles It uses the same chat bubble technology that Android uses for messaging apps, but adapted for voice calls. Initially, the call appears in full screen or in the usual dialer layout. When you press the home, multitasking, or back button, the call... minimizes and it appears as a floating bubble on top of any other application you have open.
It's important to note that these bubbles don't depend solely on the Phone app, but also on the android settings about which apps can be displayed on top of others. For the bubble to appear, the Google Phone app must have the option enabled. ādisplay on top of other appsā or ādraw on top of other appsā. This is configured from System Settings, in the applications section, by going to Google Phone and enabling this special permission.
Some Pixel users have noted that, in certain updates, a bubble appears instead of the usual one. fixed pill at the top from the status bar. That pill takes you back to the call screen, but it doesn't offer floating shortcuts to mute or unmute the speakerphone. If this is the case for you, it's worth checking that Google Phone is up to date, that permission to appear over other apps is enabled, and that the options of notifications and bubbles The system is not limiting this behavior.
In recent versions of Android, a panel for managing the speech bubbles In a more granular way, you can go to Settings > Notifications > Bubbles to allow apps to display bubbles, limit it to specific conversations, or disable it entirely. While this section is primarily for messaging, it also affects how some apps, like Phone, manage their floating elements.
Floating bubbles, perfect for multitasking on Android
The truth is that this addition of Google Phone it's a feature that should be enabled by many more manufacturers and applications. The floating bubble method is one of the best to help the multitask en Android be truly convenient. It allows you to minimize a call without losing immediate access to basic actions, something that was already part of our tips for using a smartphone with a large screen.
Furthermore, the functions displayed in the bubble clearly point in that direction, highlighting the possibility of switching to speaker to be able to continue talking while using the phone hands-free, mute the microphone if you are attending to something else, or hang up without having to open the dialer.
This approach complements the fast transition to Duo video calls and other Google integrations, which allow you to switch from a voice call to a video call in just a couple of taps, all within the same environment. In this way, Google is demonstrating a great effort in its call appAdding features such as spam filtering, floating bubbles, and integration with modern Android APIs to offer a much more complete experience.
The concept of bubbles on Android It's not limited to calls or Google Phone. Messaging apps, Google Assistant itself, and many other tools can take advantage of this interface to keep shortcuts floating on top of other apps. Therefore, understanding how bubbles work and how to configure them is key to getting the most out of your phone, especially if you often work with several apps at once while having voice or chat conversations.
With all these options, Google Phone turns something as simple as a call into an experience much more flexible, which adapts to the way you use your mobile phone, allows you to continue using your applications without interruptions and gives you constant control over communication without having to give up the convenience of multitasking.