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> The dialer and incoming call screen now automatically perform Google searches for phone number information (and will display Google Ads) Of course Android is

> The dialer and incoming call screen now automatically perform Google searches for phone number information (and will display Google Ads) Of course Android is still more 'open', but as a person who dislikes advertisements, I feel like Apple products might be the less user-hostile choice now.

scott_karana 13y ago
Following that link leads to a G+ post showing the relevant lines of UI XML, but the comments on the same Google+ page seem to indicate that the advertisement string has existed (and been unused, and continues to be unused) since Android 1.6. Disaster averted... for now? :/
MAGZine 13y ago
But isn't the phone number information part intriguing? You dial a phone number (or just had been called from one), and it potentially provides you with company name, address, operating hours. Directions are just a touch away. After you complete a call, it could ask you if you'd like to insert a calendar item at the listed address. This is welcome functionality for me. Google's ads all said and done seem to be fairly unobtrusive, so I trust that if there are advertisements (beyond this), it won't be hostile.
- Brakenshire 13y ago
  That means that Google will have information on its server covering all phone calls I make, and at what time. That is way beyond what is acceptable, for me.
  - ZoFreX 13y ago
    Really? I make like... 3 calls a week from my phone, generally of low importance. I deal in hundreds of emails which range from the trivial to bank account details. Why would I trust Google with the latter and not the former?
    - pedrocr 13y ago
      Being an Android user doesn't imply being a Gmail user.
      - e40 13y ago
        For like 99% of Android users it does.
        gbog 13y ago
        Here in China people barely use emails and never use gmail, and most run android. Or maybe your note needs to add "in my little personal tiny slice of the world" context?
        Apocryphon 13y ago
        Wait, what? What do people in China use instead of emails? Do they just use SMS all of the time?
        hayksaakian 13y ago
        educate yourself http://news.yahoo.com/android-huge-china-google-control-035903534.html http://news.yahoo.com/android-huge-china-google-control-0359...
        alextingle 13y ago
        In what way does that link answer the question? Just to reiterate: What do people in China use instead of e-mail?
        gbog 13y ago
        They use message services such as QQ and WeChat.
  - MAGZine 13y ago
    For advertisments, maybe. If they were interested in privacy, it wouldn't be difficult to fetch top-10,000 information for municipalities you live in. It could pre-fetch data for future locales if it sees you have a plane ticket somewhere... just a thought. I doubt Google could provide you relevant feedback for a private phone number 2,000 miles away anyhow--that would basically be just trolling for information.
  - ryanhuff 13y ago
    Since Google apps tie into Google plus, how long before Google touts how every phone call made to and from an android phone is a G+ activity? Sounds like a huge headline opportunity to me. [Edit] Thinking more about this, and how G+, gmail and hangouts are melding together, you have to wonder how Google plans to leverage this new feature/info. Will people who call me suddenly appear in my gmail IM list as contacts?
    - redler 13y ago
      Are "phone calls" between Android users with sufficiently up-to-date versions of the OS routed entirely over the internet as G+ voice chats? iOS bypasses carrier SMS with iMessage, and, I think, Facetime audio-only calls between capable devices. Seems like the next logical progression.
      - justincormack 13y ago
        No. This would be rather noticeable as depends on data connection quality. Apple diverting SMS is somewhat less error prone.
- josteink 13y ago
  there are apps for that and have been for ages if that is what you want. they are all opt in and they don't automatically route all your phone call history and meta data to Google. this is user hostile in the same way mandatory Google+ was. it's also another step in a slippery slope of android being less open and more of a source to feed Google data pipe. what we're seeing here is the end of android as it was originally envisioned. and that makes me sad.
  - myko 13y ago
    > this is user hostile in the range way mandatory Google+ was. So, not hostile at all?
    - josteink 13y ago
      For me it was one if several reasons to quit Google apps. I would definitely consider it both intrusive and hostile.
- GrinningFool 13y ago
  " so I trust that if there are advertisements (beyond this), it won't be hostile. " So often we make this decision based on obtrusiveness of the ads. What about the information you give away every time an ad is shown, or a search performed on your behalf?
ryansan 13y ago
This was my reaction right away as well. But anymore when it comes to "convenience" there is certainly a price to be paid. Here, it is (at a minimum) perceived loss of privacy. Just as I intentionally inconvenience myself to avoid places like McDonald's, I'll do the same here.
kkaiser 13y ago
ArsTechnica has redacted the statement about displaying ads.
gcb0 13y ago
So you want to choose between a company that sells you ads for any service you want to use vs a company that limits which products you may use? thanks, i will go with the third option. I will stick with 3rd party androids, and when google acquire-shut 'em all (e.g. cyanogen) i will hope firefox phones have improved.
victorf 13y ago
Depends on the user, of course. Can't an Android user swap those out? And install ad blockers on their browser as well? You'll never get me to agree that the walled garden isn't user-hostile, but it is true that some users are unprepared or unwilling to make their way in the wilderness outside of it.

scott_karana 13y ago

Following that link leads to a G+ post showing the relevant lines of UI XML, but the comments on the same Google+ page seem to indicate that the advertisement string has existed (and been unused, and continues to be unused) since Android 1.6. Disaster averted... for now? :/

MAGZine 13y ago

But isn't the phone number information part intriguing? You dial a phone number (or just had been called from one), and it potentially provides you with company name, address, operating hours. Directions are just a touch away. After you complete a call, it could ask you if you'd like to insert a calendar item at the listed address. This is welcome functionality for me. Google's ads all said and done seem to be fairly unobtrusive, so I trust that if there are advertisements (beyond this), it won't be hostile.

Brakenshire 13y ago
That means that Google will have information on its server covering all phone calls I make, and at what time. That is way beyond what is acceptable, for me.
- ZoFreX 13y ago
  Really? I make like... 3 calls a week from my phone, generally of low importance. I deal in hundreds of emails which range from the trivial to bank account details. Why would I trust Google with the latter and not the former?
  - pedrocr 13y ago
    Being an Android user doesn't imply being a Gmail user.
    - e40 13y ago
      For like 99% of Android users it does.
      - gbog 13y ago
        Here in China people barely use emails and never use gmail, and most run android. Or maybe your note needs to add "in my little personal tiny slice of the world" context?
        Apocryphon 13y ago
        Wait, what? What do people in China use instead of emails? Do they just use SMS all of the time?
        hayksaakian 13y ago
        educate yourself http://news.yahoo.com/android-huge-china-google-control-035903534.html http://news.yahoo.com/android-huge-china-google-control-0359...
        alextingle 13y ago
        In what way does that link answer the question? Just to reiterate: What do people in China use instead of e-mail?
        gbog 13y ago
        They use message services such as QQ and WeChat.
- MAGZine 13y ago
  For advertisments, maybe. If they were interested in privacy, it wouldn't be difficult to fetch top-10,000 information for municipalities you live in. It could pre-fetch data for future locales if it sees you have a plane ticket somewhere... just a thought. I doubt Google could provide you relevant feedback for a private phone number 2,000 miles away anyhow--that would basically be just trolling for information.
- ryanhuff 13y ago
  Since Google apps tie into Google plus, how long before Google touts how every phone call made to and from an android phone is a G+ activity? Sounds like a huge headline opportunity to me. [Edit] Thinking more about this, and how G+, gmail and hangouts are melding together, you have to wonder how Google plans to leverage this new feature/info. Will people who call me suddenly appear in my gmail IM list as contacts?
  - redler 13y ago
    Are "phone calls" between Android users with sufficiently up-to-date versions of the OS routed entirely over the internet as G+ voice chats? iOS bypasses carrier SMS with iMessage, and, I think, Facetime audio-only calls between capable devices. Seems like the next logical progression.
    - justincormack 13y ago
      No. This would be rather noticeable as depends on data connection quality. Apple diverting SMS is somewhat less error prone.
josteink 13y ago
there are apps for that and have been for ages if that is what you want. they are all opt in and they don't automatically route all your phone call history and meta data to Google. this is user hostile in the same way mandatory Google+ was. it's also another step in a slippery slope of android being less open and more of a source to feed Google data pipe. what we're seeing here is the end of android as it was originally envisioned. and that makes me sad.
- myko 13y ago
  > this is user hostile in the range way mandatory Google+ was. So, not hostile at all?
  - josteink 13y ago
    For me it was one if several reasons to quit Google apps. I would definitely consider it both intrusive and hostile.
GrinningFool 13y ago
" so I trust that if there are advertisements (beyond this), it won't be hostile. " So often we make this decision based on obtrusiveness of the ads. What about the information you give away every time an ad is shown, or a search performed on your behalf?

ryansan 13y ago

This was my reaction right away as well. But anymore when it comes to "convenience" there is certainly a price to be paid. Here, it is (at a minimum) perceived loss of privacy. Just as I intentionally inconvenience myself to avoid places like McDonald's, I'll do the same here.

kkaiser 13y ago

ArsTechnica has redacted the statement about displaying ads.

gcb0 13y ago

So you want to choose between a company that sells you ads for any service you want to use vs a company that limits which products you may use? thanks, i will go with the third option. I will stick with 3rd party androids, and when google acquire-shut 'em all (e.g. cyanogen) i will hope firefox phones have improved.

victorf 13y ago

Depends on the user, of course. Can't an Android user swap those out? And install ad blockers on their browser as well? You'll never get me to agree that the walled garden isn't user-hostile, but it is true that some users are unprepared or unwilling to make their way in the wilderness outside of it.