Google's Pixel phone app can now make calls for you, but there's a catch

Published Sep 24, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT Joe Fedewa has been writing about technology for over a decade. Android and the rest of the Google ecosystem have been a focus for years, as well as reviewing devices, hosting podcasts, filming videos, and writing tutorials. Joe loves all things technology and is also an avid DIYer and food blogger. He has written thousands of articles, hundreds of tutorials, and dozens of reviews. Before joining How-To Geek, Joe worked at XDA-Developers as Managing Editor and covered news from the Google ecosystem. He got his start in the industry covering Windows Phone on a small blog, and later moved to Phandroid where he covered Android news, reviewed devices, wrote tutorials, created YouTube videos, and hosted a podcast. From smartphones to Bluetooth earbuds to Z-Wave switches, Joe is interested in all kinds of technology. After several years of jailbreaking and heavily modifying an iPod Touch, he moved on to his first smartphone, the HTC DROID Eris. He's been hooked ever since. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Google's big focus for Android this year has been "intelligence" features. As usual, most of its work has gone towards the Pixel series. Now, one of the best reasons to own a Pixel phone is about to get even better: the Phone app. Yes, the Phone app is sneakily one of the best things about owning a Pixel phone. Features such as Call Screen, Hold for Me, scam detection, and integrated visual voicemail are excellent. The latest update allows Gemini to handle routine calls on your behalf. It builds on a previous feature that was available in Google Assistant. Hey Google, call for me Handling the boring stuff First things first, this is only coming to the Pixel 11 series (review) for now. The feature is called "Call for Me," and it's part of the larger "Gemini Intelligence" portfolio that Google has slowly been fleshing out. The idea is similar to Gemini's app automation feature, but for phone calls to businesses. All you have to do is give simple instructions, and Gemini will make the call and do the talking. Google shared a couple of examples of how you could use this Checking if a hardware store has a specific part in stock. Reserving patio seating at a restaurant. Moving a previously scheduled haircut appointment to a different day. Adding one more pizza and utensils to an order you already made. Gemini calls the business, navigates phone menus, introduces itself as an AI assistant calling on behalf of your name, waits on hold, and handles the conversation with the human on the other end. You can watch all of this happen in real-time with a live transcript and jump in at any time. Real "assistant" features on your phone As with the ability to have Gemini make a food delivery order, this feels like a genuinely useful AI feature. It's what human assistants have been doing for decades: handling routine, boring tasks on behalf of someone who doesn't want to bother with it. Call for Me is rolling out starting today as an "early preview" for Pixel 11 owners enrolled in the Phone by Google public beta with a Gemini paid subscription. Hopefully, it doesn't stay behind the paywall with some other handy features forever. Google Pixel 11 Pro Brand Google SoC Google Tensor G6