me_irl

Then they add ads to the feature. Then charge more for ad-free.

I want it to cost $6.99 to even fucking call me. Period.

Ah, blessed silence.

Omg! That's the answer! I need to change to a 1-976-xxx-xxxx number. $1 to call, and an additional $1/min.

I had a Pixel on Google Fi with this. When I got a call I could tell my Pixel to answer, ask who was calling, and ask the purpose of their call. I could see their responses transcribed and press automated response buttons.

It was amazing. Not sure why other phones don't support it, definitely a feature I miss.

Call screening and yeah, it is one of their better features.
Easily the best feature. I used it on everyone including family, friends, coworkers, robots whatever

That's what words are for... If you pick up, and say "hello," they will say why they are calling. God damn people will do everything in their power to NOT communicate with eachother these days

I can read why you're calling in 3 seconds and it takes no mental energy if I don't care. If I talk to you I need to use significantly more mental energy and it's more disruptive to anything I was focusing on. The people I least want to talk to are the most likely to call, and are the ones who will be the least direct about why they're calling and waste the most of my time.

Not wanting to talk to you on the phone is not the same as not communicating. The vast majority of phone calls are basically someone saying "stop what you're doing, what I want to talk to you about is more important" and they're wrong.
This exact argument applies to caller ID too. If you pick up you will hear their voice or they will tell you where they are calling from. Still would rather have caller ID.
I wish they never invented mobile phones, my wage doesn't justify being bothered outside of work.

This is a thing. It's called Call Screening

I use it on android and most people just hang up.

But it's nice knowing that companies who call me also have to talk to a robot first before reaching the human, me😊
- I refuse to take any calls from robot, i've had Dr offices say "we tried to call you" and I reply "no you didnt you had a robot try to call me and I ain't got time for that shit", of couse "ain't got time" is relative, because I am mostly just digging holes in mine craft.
- I have it too. It's glorious.
  
  9 out of 10, it's bots talking to bots.
  
  But the 1 time, it was my doctor calling about something afterwards. I love it.
- I like it when they actually have to reach me because they start talking to it professionally and when I answer I've had at least two people say something like "I wish I had an assistant like that."
  
  IDK what it sounds like but it always makes me chuckle a little.
- Sounds nice, but usually when someone calls me, they need something quickly, and that would be really annoing. At least I'm lucky enough that people don't call me if they can send a text message instead.
- Same, my favourite thing recently is when the caller is an AI, I just get a voicemail of the darker AI taking to my pixel's on device AI for 30 seconds
Ive got a version of that on my phone, but its just me rejecting every call that isn't in my contacts list.
It used to be easier to screen calls when we had answering machines.
- "Pick up. Come on pick up! I know you're there. Im stuck at the mall and need a ride. Come on pick up...."
Exactly. If you just never answer your phone, you’ll never have to deal with all the people who either refuse to leave a voicemail or send a text message/email instead. It saves a lot of trouble.
I love call screening... All but eliminates scammers
- For a whole I had the call screening on going through Voice, but I turned it off a while back when I was looking for a different job. It seemed a lot of recruiters either would hang up or maybe some of them would get screened out as when I had it off I got a lot more return calls. Anecdotal of course.

i already know. they are selling something, or wantnme to do something for free.

I need an automated system like they do for companies where you have to navigate through an option tree by pressing numbers when prompted. And there is only one very elusive path to let the call through to me, all the other parts end to either endless loops or a dummy voicemail box that doesn't actually record any messages.

Many smartphones today have a call screening option where a voice agent asks the caller why they're calling and messages you the result.

You will be glad to hear that what you describe is also pretty easy to setup.
- hold on where is this? last I checked no phone has in call playback of audio so even just simple answering machine apps can't exist even though it would be superior in every way to network provided voicemail that you have to call and listen to purely via call audio and dialpad

phones need to implement personal:

if you are calling to make cancel change appointments press 1

if you are calling to share updates press 2

if you are calling about those 20$ you owe me, press 3 for venmo info

...

i want it

I just ignore the call

If it was important, they'll call again

If it was an emergency, they'll call non-stop and text a bunch of times

Otherwise, most times, when it's not important, the person calls once, realizes it wasn't important and doesn't call again

sounds like texting but with extra steps

Voicemail is part of a phone plan already.

It's not the same. You can't answer it mid-recording. and if the phone call turns out to be important, you have to call back, and if it's a company you'll likely have to navigate a maze of options, then wait while "all operators are busy".
- I can answer a call mid voicemail on my iPhone. I thought that was a feature for a while on Android?

Get a pixel

"you have received a request for a call concerning Casual Conversation from Friend BILLY. Press 1 to accept"

Might be convenient