Google’s “Message” feature is designed so that when a user is unable to answer a call, Google Assistant answers on their behalf and transcribes the call into text. However, some users have discovered that once this feature is enabled, callers can actually hear ambient sounds from the phone or the user’s voice directly. This situation undoubtedly poses a serious privacy risk, and it’s no wonder it has sparked a strong backlash on social media.
Google Confirms That the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5 Phones Expose Audio to Callers
As the discussion heated up,Google has also issued an official response…confirmed that the issue does indeed exist and noted that it primarily affects older Pixel devices, including the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5. According to foreign media reports A report from 9to5GoogleGoogle has temporarily disabled the “Notes” and “Call Screen” features on these two phones to prevent more users from facing the same risk. For a feature that touts smart assistants and privacy protection as its key selling points, this vulnerability is indeed surprising.
Although Google has acknowledged that the comments feature does indeed have flaws, it has not yet publicly explained the root cause of the issue. In its official support message, Google merely stated that “under very specific and rare circumstances, only a very small number of Pixel 4 and Pixel 5 devices have encountered this issue.” While this statement attempts to downplay the scope of the impact, it has also heightened public curiosity about what kind of technical error could lead to such a sensitive privacy vulnerability.
Fortunately, if you happen to be using a Pixel 4 or Pixel 5, you don’t need to take any additional action at this time. Google has disabled the relevant feature on the server side, so the risk has been temporarily mitigated. However, Google has not provided a timeline for a fix or any further explanation, which is somewhat puzzling. Perhaps Google is still working to understand the full scope of the issue and will provide a more specific explanation in the future.
In fact, this isn’t the first time Google has faced software-related challenges. In the past, the Pixel series has also experienced a wide variety of bugs, ranging from camera glitches and screen issues to performance fluctuations following system updates. However, Google has always been in the habit of announcing updates only after fixes are complete, rarely providing a clear timeline in advance. Therefore, this approach, to some extent, continues the company’s past practice. Interestingly, some of the initial user reports even suggested that the Pixel 10 might be affected as well. However, based on Google’s official response, the issue currently appears to be limited to older models, and the newer Pixel 10 series has not been included on the list of affected devices. This also suggests that the vulnerability may be related to specific interactions between older hardware architectures or older system versions, rather than a widespread design flaw.
Nevertheless, this incident serves as a reminder that even Google—known for its software prowess—is not immune to unexpected issues when it comes to complex AI and communication features. In particular, the Pixel series has gradually established a firm foothold in the market in recent years, and it can now compete head-to-head with other flagship phones in areas ranging from image processing and AI features to the overall user experience. As the new year begins, various brands will launch their next-generation flagship models, and competition is bound to intensify. If Google wants to maintain its lead in this race, the key will be how it improves software quality and prevents similar privacy breaches from happening again. After all, for consumers, no matter how powerful the features are, nothing matters more than “peace of mind.”
Source: KOCPC Chinese