Call recording just became a lot harder in Android Pie

Google has apparently disabled the ability for apps to record calls in Android Pie. Developers of call recording apps have started notifying users about recent changes in Pie that remove the possibility, as spotted by Piunika web yesterday (via XDA).

Call recording apps allow users to record ongoing phone conversations, a feature that was once built into Android as an API. This allowed developers to add the function directly into their apps, but Google removed it in Android Marshmallow.

A workaround seemed to be fairly straightforward, however, and many call recording apps have sprung up since then, despite the lack of official support.

Alas, Google’s latest developments with Pie seem to have now nerfed these workarounds completely, leaving only one option for developers and users still seeking a call recording app: entering the dark art of rooting.

This isn’t the first time that a Google update has killed off a certain type of app. Just last year, Android Oreo stopped allowing apps to draw over the system UI, nullifying popular products like Twilight. We might see more Pie casualties pop up in the coming days.

As for Google’s motivations, it’s possible that call recording laws, and how they differ from country-to-country, have prompted the move. We’ll keep an eye on how the story develops in the coming days.