iOS 10 Offers Voicemail Transcription and New API for Third-Party VoIP Apps

If you are an Apple fan, you must have heard all kinds of rumors about iOS already. In the Worldwide Developer Conference 2016, Apple has put a bunch of new features about iOS 10 to the table, including redesigned the Music app, Notifications viewing without unlocking, Siri open to third-party apps, Maps with brand new interface and more. Among all of the iOS new features, the Phone app is definitely one of the most appealing features.

To be specific, Apple's iOS 10 will be able to transcribe voicemails, add a new API for third-party VoIP apps, which would make these calls more like regular iPhone calls, and spam call alerts.

You may need to know more about Voicemail.

Voicemail Transcription

The fact is, not many people send voice messages these days, even checking them seems troublesome. Apple finally realizes this and offers voicemail transcription. In your iOS 10, your voice messages will be converted into texts so that you can quickly read instead of listening to them. Of course, for people who do love listening to voicemail, you can still do that.

New API for third-party VoIP apps

Another related feature is a new API for VoIP. It allows third-party developers who make VoIP apps for the App Store to incorporate with the iOS Phone app. As a result, the incoming calls from the third-party apps will display on the lockscreen as if they were from Apple's own Phone app, with "Remind Me" and "Message" options. Besides, you can also find the app information from the iOS contact page.

This function would work for various services, and it would be nice to see WhatsApp, Skype, Viber and Facebook Massager take advantage of it.

Spam call alert

Apart from all the functions mentioned above, there is also another one related to Phone app. As we know how annoying it can be to pick up unknown number phone calls, Phone app in iOS 10 is trying to tell you automatically whether this number is likely to be a spam call. The spam alerts will show right underneath the unknown phone number on the Lock screen.

June 21, 2018 15:30 / Updated by Louisa White to iOS