Now this is innovation. The new Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a 5G are chock-full of upgrades, from 5G connectivity to powerful new camera features. But there's one killer feature here that I wish every phone had, including the upcoming iPhone 12.
The Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G have a new Google Assistant feature called Hold for Me, which builds on Google's machine learning capabilities. It's the same type of intelligence that make Google Duplex possible, which makes reservations for you via AI.
- Google Pixel 5 release date, price, specs and big camera upgrades
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Google didn't go into a ton of detail during the Google Event, but here's the gist. When you're on hold with a toll-free number, Hold for Me can step in and wait on the line for you. Google Assistant is smart enough to know when a person has come back on the line, so you don't have to waste your time waiting on speakerphone.
You'll see a prompt while you're on a call that says Let your Assistant wait on hold. And you just tap the Hold for me button.
Once someone returns to the line, you should see prompt pop up on screen that says "Someone's waiting to talk to you" and I'm assuming that will be accompanied by some sort of sound or chime.
To return to the call, you just tap the big button that says Return to Call in the middle of the screen. It seems very simple.
Because iOS 14 is already out, we already know that the Siri enhancements are, and at least as of now we don't expect the iPhone 12's software to be able to match this feature in the Pixel 5.
Because this is a preview feature, Google says that Hold for Me may not be able to detect every on-hold scenario. But overall this looks like a huge win for consumers who loathe waiting on hold for tech support and customer service.
