Truecaller, a popular app that helps identify callers, has recently added a new feature that allows users to record phone calls on both iOS and Android devices. However, due to restrictions on both operating systems, apps can’t record calls in the traditional way. Truecaller has found a workaround by using a special recording line.
For Android users, the process is straightforward. They can use Truecaller’s built-in dialer to start recording a call directly. If they prefer to use a different dialer app, Truecaller will display a small floating button that they can tap to begin recording.
On iOS, the process is a bit more complex. Users will need to initiate a call to a recording line through the Truecaller app for both incoming and outgoing calls. Once that call is connected, they will merge it with the call they want to record. It’s important to note that the person on the other end of the line will hear a beep sound to let them know that the call is being recorded.
Truecaller first introduced call recording for premium users on Android back in 2018 and made it available to all Android users in 2021. However, in 2022, Google restricted access to a tool that many apps, including Truecaller, used to record calls. As a result, Truecaller had to remove the recording feature from their app.
Read Also: Truecaller Releases Web Client For Android Users
In addition to call recording, Truecaller plans to offer users transcripts of their recorded calls, which will be available in the coming weeks. This feature will allow users to search through the transcripts to easily find specific information from their conversations.
Raphael Mimoun, who is the Cloud Telephony Product Director at Truecaller, explained in a conversation with TechCrunch that all recordings and transcripts will be saved directly on the user’s device, meaning Truecaller will not store any data in the cloud.
To provide these features, Truecaller has incorporated technology from CallHero, a startup that Mimoun founded and which Truecaller acquired last year.
Truecaller’s method of recording calls is not entirely new; other apps like RecMyCalls and TapeACall have used similar techniques. However, Truecaller emphasizes that their approach is unique because they store data locally on the device and do not collect any user information.
In 2022, a magazine called The Caravan published an article claiming that Truecaller collected user data without their consent, but the company denied these allegations.
Truecaller has been testing the call recording feature with some iOS users in the U.S. and is now rolling it out to all users who have a premium subscription. Currently, Truecaller offers three subscription plans in the U.S.: a basic ad-free plan for $1 per month, a premium plan that includes call recording for $3.99 per month, and a top-tier plan with a call screening assistant for $4.49 per month.
Nami Zarringhalam, one of Truecaller’s co-founders, mentioned that the company plans to introduce this feature in multiple countries, including India, which is their largest market. They are also exploring ways to inform users if they are speaking with an AI during a call. This is similar to a feature introduced by Google in 2018, called Duplex, which is designed to help users book appointments over the phone.
Zarringhalam also noted that Truecaller is working on refining its subscription plans to provide different levels of service that make sense for users at various price points.
Truecaller has over half a million users in the U.S., with about 10% of them subscribed to one of the plans. Globally, the app has more than 350 million users, with India being the largest market at 100 million users. In its latest earnings report, Truecaller reported an 18% increase in subscribers compared to the previous year. Despite this growth in paid users, subscriptions only accounted for around 12% of the company’s revenue, with advertising making up the majority of their income.
