Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#31

Post by IshKebab » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:14 PM UTC

bradleyankrom wrote: post #15

carlospwk wrote: post #8

I have no idea what a robocall is but I would LOVE a simple notification banner for when someone calls. I rarely get calls these days but when I do, it’s a major annoyance if I’m doing something on my phone. It’s time calls are relegated to the same level of urgency as WhatsApp messages and emails.

do you iive outside the U.S.?

I like in the UK and get maybe 5 robocalls a year. I'm not at all cautious about giving out my phone number and I've had the same number for at least 10 years.

Why is this such a problem in America but not elsewhere?

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#32

Post by bduerst » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:14 PM UTC

thatswrong0 wrote: post #4

I would love to be able to block all numbers coming from my area code and the first 3 digits of my number.. all my robo calls come from a number that looks just like mine.

Or send to Google Assistant screening. It's the best feature ever but they need to open it up to rules for automation (i.e. all unknown numbers from XXX area code).

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#33

Post by Chazprime » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:14 PM UTC

thatswrong0 wrote: post #4

I would love to be able to block all numbers coming from my area code and the first 3 digits of my number.. all my robo calls come from a number that looks just like mine.

Have you tried Hiya? That works for me...it’s called “Neighbor Scam Protection”.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#34

Post by wwgg715 » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:14 PM UTC

mikestew wrote: post #9

AFAIK, it's still the case that I can't block everything but numbers in my contacts, right? That's all I'm asking, and it can't be that hard. Add that simple feature that should have been there ten years ago and the problem is solved for me.

yes, just send non-contacts directly to voicemail. then i might actually answer my phone once in awhile.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#35

Post by ianlevesque » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:15 PM UTC

nyjah wrote: post #28

Tapping Decline is not a great option because it actually tells the robocaller that you’re with your phone and are annoyed by the call, information I’d rather not give. Call me paranoid, but I take it a step further and absolutely believe whatever cold call company is calling knows when my phone is moving, or I am around it. I am the type of person that doesn't carry their phone all the time, I usually keep it in my…

Yes, you are paranoid.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#36

Post by justusthane » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:16 PM UTC

deckar01 wrote: post #12

It is a phone. If you need uninterrupted productivity, use any other type of personal computing device.

What a weird argument. Just because it can receive phone calls doesn't mean that you shouldn't also be able to be uninterrupted if you like.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#37

Post by Nadya » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:16 PM UTC

deckar01 wrote: post #12

It is a phone. If you need uninterrupted productivity, use any other type of personal computing device.

It is a mobile computing device that happens to be able to take calls.

"Smart phones" are "phones" in only so much that they can make phone calls. I've used my smart phone to make a call one time in the past 8 years. For me, it simply isn't a phone.

Most of my peers use their mobile computing devices to browse the internet, schedule things, and play games. Very, very few of them use it to make phone calls and those that do are calling family or their SO a majority of the time.

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#38

Post by izacus » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:17 PM UTC

I never get robocalls in Europe - what's different here? Why does USA have this huge problem with spam calls and most of Europe doesn't? Is spam blocking on OS level really the right approach to fix this problem?

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#39

Post by tdeck » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:17 PM UTC

awakeasleep wrote: post #14

"At the telelphony-infrastructure level, it’s a supremely difficult problem that lacks a short-term fix because the underlying protocol is hopelessly insecure." This is only partly true. Technologically the solution is difficult, but it's easy from the social side as carriers can blacklist the smaller carriers that allow this fraud to take place. The real problem is that everyone except the consumer benefits from thi…

Why hasn't there been a class action against carriers for failing to do anything about this problem?

Re: Apple needs to change iPhone’s call UI because robocalls are killing us

#40

Post by RodericDay » Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 9:18 PM UTC

bduerst wrote: post #32

thatswrong0 wrote: post #4

I would love to be able to block all numbers coming from my area code and the first 3 digits of my number.. all my robo calls come from a number that looks just like mine.

Or send to Google Assistant screening. It's the best feature ever but they need to open it up to rules for automation (i.e. all unknown numbers from XXX area code).

I don't want to send all my calls to google