Apple revealed iOS 12 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) earlier this month, which includes performance improvements and several new features. Some of the new iOS 12 features include ARKit 2, four new Animoji (with tongue detection), Memoji (customizable Animoji), Group FaceTime, a new Measure app, Screen Time, Do Not Disturb enhancements, notification grouping, Siri Shortcuts and a redesign of the Stocks and Books apps. However, one of the features that Apple did not mention on stage are tools for developers to build apps that will be able to report SMS and call spam. This feature has been detailed in Apple's developer documentation.
Developers will be able to tap into an app extension called "Unwanted Communication" for building apps that support the ability to report the spam. From a user standpoint, “Unwanted Communication” would have to be enabled in the Settings app for the spam reporting feature to work.
After “Unwanted Communication” is enabled in Settings, users will be able to swipe left on spam phone numbers under “Recent” in the Phone app to pull up a “Report” option. And in the Messages app, spam SMS messages would be reported by swiping left on the thread or pushing down on them to activate a Quick Actions menu. Once a user reports an SMS or call, the app will launch the “Unwanted Communication” extension to gather additional information in order to decide whether to report or block the number:
MediaNama believes that Apple is adding the SMS and call spam reporting feature due to requests from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Last year, Apple had rejected an application put together by TRAI to block and report phone call spam. Apple reportedly decided to block the TRAI app because it did not want the government agency to have full access to call and SMS logs. By providing an "Unwanted Communications" extension for developers, it seems like a fair compromise between Apple and TRAI especially since call and SMS spam is a major problem in India.
Currently, Apple has a way of filtering unknown iMessage senders and you can download third-party apps like Truecaller to turn off notifications for SMS spam messages and sorting them into a separate list. This feature is controlled under Settings > Messages > Unknown & Spam.
Apple also allows users to report iMessages that look like spam on junk from within the Messages app. The "Report Junk" feature will forward the sender's information and message to Apple and delete the message from your device. But to fully prevent the sender from spamming your Messages app, you would have to block the contact.
- Apple iOS 12 Features: What Will Be Included In The Update?
- 18 iPhone X Tips And Tricks You Should Know About
- iPhone X And Samsung Galaxy S9 Comparison: Speed, Drop, Water And Durability Tests
- iPhone X: How Does It Handle Speed, Durability, Drop And Water Tests?
