Google Might Likely Put an End to Call Recording Apps Soon
If you frequently use third-party call recording apps to keep backups or audio files of your phone calls, that might all end soon this year due to certain changes that Google is making.
A fully-detailed post on Reddit by user u/NLL-APPS explains that the upcoming move by Google is brought about by changes made in a new Google Play Store Policy, wherein apps from the Play Store will be no longer permitted to use Accessibility API for call recording purposes, due to several privacy and security reasons.
This move will take effect on May 11, and unless developers make the necessary changes, Google may remove non-compliant apps from the Play Store for failing to implement the new policy.
This is made all the more clear on Google’s support page, which directly states that “The Accessibility API is not designed and cannot be requested for remote call audio recording.” This will only be limited to third-party apps, however. If your phone’s manufacturer included a built-in system app for call recording, you’ll still be able to use that as intended.
This isn’t the first time that Google has blocked access by third-party call recording apps – older Android versions essentially blocked access to the microphone in order to prevent third-party applications from using it to record call audio. As a result, however, developers started using the Accessibility API to enable call recording software.