Enhancement of iOS Software to Deter Unwanted Telephone Solicitations

Apple has announced two new features for iPhone users during their WWDC25 keynote: Hold Assist and Call Screening.

The first of these new features, Hold Assist, is designed to spare iPhone users the annoyance of listening to hold music while on a call. With Hold Assist, the iPhone will manage calls for the user, ensuring they don't have to wait on hold for extended periods.

The second feature, Call Screening, is intended to deter telemarketing calls. As the number of telemarketing calls has been rising sharply in recent years, partly due to data brokers selling information, this feature is much-needed relief for many iPhone users.

Call Screening works by having the iPhone answer calls from unknown numbers. After the call is answered, the Call Screening feature asks the caller for their name and purpose. This information is then displayed to the iPhone user, allowing them to decide whether to take the call or not.

The new text filtering feature in iOS 26 is separate from Call Screening. This feature places the user in a separate menu, removing them from the conversation list. This is particularly useful for group chats, where unwanted messages can be distracting.

It's worth noting that these new features are not the only ones being rolled out in iOS 26. All new features will be rolled out throughout the fall.

In the U.S., Americans receive approximately 3.3 billion spam calls monthly, according to Truecaller. With Call Screening, iPhone users can significantly reduce the number of unwanted calls they receive.

The Call Screening feature on the iPhone was implemented by Apple for iOS 26, building on earlier similar technologies by Hiya (which launched a similar capability over eight years ago) and Google (which introduced it on Pixel phones in 2018).

In conclusion, the new features in iOS 26 are intended to benefit iPhone users during calls. With Hold Assist managing calls and Call Screening deterring telemarketing calls, iPhone users can look forward to a more productive and less frustrating calling experience.