Truecaller 8 for Android will enable cashless transactions via UPI and integrate Google Duo

tech2 News StaffMar 28, 2017 16:02:03 IST

Truecaller, the popular, crowd-sourced and initially controversial app that is the bane of spammers everywhere, has now received some major updates.

One of the biggest features of Truecaller 8 on Android — iOS users still have to wait a while — is a new SMS filtering feature. Truemessenger, a standalone app that did this, has now been integrated into the main Truecaller interface.

Following the update, you’ll now be able to identify unknown messages and block that pesky spam from marketers and retailers alike. Truecaller points out that you can even block SMS by name and number series.

Additional functionality includes a flash messaging feature, which, allows you to respond to messages with quick, canned responses. These responses even include location information. Truecaller calls this Flash Messaging.

Yet another feature is Google Duo integration. Google Duo is a simplified video calling app from Google that’s meant to make video calling as simple as a voice call. The app will soon feature a Duo button alongside contact information, allowing you to initiate a Duo-enabled video call from within Truecaller itself. The feature also means that Truecaller will filter out video call spammers as well.

The above update isn’t yet available and will be integrated into Truecaller “in the coming months” as an opt-in service.

These updates are welcome, but not as welcome as a couple of India-specific updates that are making their way to the app.

For a start, Truecaller is partnering with Airtel to deliver advanced caller ID functionality to feature phones. Truecaller doesn’t directly support feature phones, but the partnership means that Airtel will be able to query a Truecaller database to deliver caller ID directly to feature phone users.

Bigger than this, however, is the announcement of Truecaller Pay. Keeping up with the times, and maybe a little late to the party, Truecaller will be embracing the Digital India and cash less India initiatives by offering its own version of a digital wallet service.

To be launched in partnership with ICICI Bank, Truecaller will integrate UPI support to enable transactions via a Virtual Payment Address unique to every user. These transactions will be handled by ICICI Bank, which means that Truecaller itself will not be handling your financial data.

So there you have it. Truecaller 8 it is coming to Android soon and will offer a great deal more functionality than it’s been offering up to this point.

Are you excited? Let us know in the comments section below.