Google is likely to unveil the Pixel 4 series in early October, just like it did with the previous three generations, but the phones are hardly well-kept secrets. As we’ve seen time and time again with earlier models, a variety of Pixel 4 leaks has revealed several details about the handset. But, in a first for the company, Google actually confirmed some of the Pixel 4’s signature features, such as the dual-lens primary camera and rear design of the phone, as well as the 3D face recognition front camera system and new Project Soli radar-based gestures. The Pixel 4 will undoubtedly have a bunch of unique software tricks on top of all that, including a new capability that just leaked that might end up being the phone’s most exciting new feature.
Being placed on hold while waiting to speak to someone is one of the most annoying things about phone calls and Google is aiming to fix that. At least that’s what an unnamed source said to have a solid track record told 9to5Google.
Whenever you’re on a call with a business that places you on hold with some annoying music playing in the background, you’ll be able to offload that call to the Google Assistant. It all happens with a tap on the button, and the Assistant will then notify you once a human is back on the line, so you can take over. It’s unclear exactly how the experience works, and the report notes that the feature is still in early development. But the source is confident the feature will be announced alongside the Pixel 4 and will be available on the phone, although it might not be released to users on day one.
It’s certainly not a must-have feature, but if you happen to spend a lot of time on hold then you’ll definitely want to take advantage of it. Once available, the feature could roll out to other Android devices, including older Pixel smartphones.