How Apple’s iOS 18.2 is Making Truecaller More Powerful Than Ever

How Native is Truecaller on iPhones? iOS Product Head Nakul Kabra Explains

Truecaller on iPhones: A Game-Changer for Call Identification and Spam Blocking

Apple’s iOS 18.2 update has revolutionized the way Truecaller functions on iPhones, bringing real-time caller ID and spam blocking capabilities that were previously limited. Nakul Kabra, the Product Director of iOS at Truecaller, recently shed light on how this integration enhances the user experience and what lies ahead for iPhone users.

Seamless Integration with Apple’s Ecosystem

One of the major highlights of Truecaller’s evolution on iOS is its close collaboration with Apple. Kabra emphasized that Apple has always been focused on providing a seamless user experience and has been receptive to feedback from developers.

“Apple has always prioritized user experience. Any feedback we had was heard and considered. We used channels like the Feedback Assistant—users can submit feedback there too—and we kept giving real-world examples of what kind of issues users face,” he explained.

Truecaller has been working towards an iOS-native experience, ensuring that users get the same efficiency as they would on Android devices.

How iOS 18.2 Enhances Truecaller’s Capabilities

The biggest breakthrough for Truecaller on iOS came with the iOS 18.2 update. Apple introduced a new framework called Live Caller ID Lookup, which allows third-party apps like Truecaller to perform real-time call identification.

How It Works:

• When a call comes in, the device sends an encrypted query to Truecaller’s servers.
• The servers process the request and send back an encrypted response.
• The response is decrypted only on the user’s device before displaying the caller ID.

This marks a shift from the earlier offline approach, where spam detection relied on pre-saved contact lists.

The Technology Behind Truecaller’s Real-Time Caller ID

The real-time caller ID on iPhones is powered by three key technologies:

1. Private Information Retrieval: Uses homomorphic encryption to enable database lookups without revealing search data.
2. Privacy Pass Protocol: Ensures that users are legitimate without exposing their identity.
3. Private Relay: Apple’s infrastructure for securely sending encrypted requests to Truecaller’s servers.

These technologies work together to provide a fast, private, and efficient caller identification system that enhances user privacy while improving spam detection.

The Evolution of Truecaller on iOS

Truecaller has been around since 2009, but its journey on iOS has been full of workarounds due to Apple’s earlier restrictions on third-party caller ID applications.

• 2016: Apple introduced CallKit, which allowed native Caller ID support for the first time.
• Pre-iOS 18.2: Truecaller relied on an offline system that checked pre-saved lists for spam detection.
• Post-iOS 18.2: Truecaller now uses real-time lookup, making caller ID more accurate and effective.

Kabra emphasized that this is just the first version of the new Truecaller on iOS, and users can expect more improvements in speed, stability, and performance in future updates.

How Truecaller Benefits iPhone Users in India

India has witnessed a massive surge in spam and fraud calls in recent years. Truecaller’s real-time system addresses this issue effectively by detecting spam numbers as they appear, rather than relying on outdated offline lists.

“In the older, offline version, we’d miss these calls. The real-time system fetches live data, helping us detect new spammers more effectively,” Kabra said.

Key Benefits for Indian Users:

• Faster Spam Detection: Users report spam quickly, and Truecaller’s AI-powered system flags suspicious numbers almost instantly.
• Live Database Access: Unlike offline lists, Truecaller now looks up numbers in real time, ensuring up-to-date spam detection.
• Early Warning System: Some numbers are flagged as “likely spam” before they’re even confirmed, helping users stay cautious.

Upcoming Features for iPhone Users

Truecaller is actively working on new features tailored for Indian iPhone users:

1. Caller ID with Images: Users will soon be able to see profile pictures alongside caller names for better recognition.
2. Block Entire Series of Numbers: This feature will help users block calls from telemarketers using number sequences.
3. Enhanced SMS Filtering: AI-driven message categorization for better spam control.

AI-Powered Spam Detection and Call Security

Artificial intelligence is playing a crucial role in Truecaller’s ability to detect and block spam calls efficiently. Kabra highlighted that AI helps in:

• Analyzing calling patterns to detect fraudsters.
• Blocking suspicious calls before they reach users.
• Enhancing call screening features for a better user experience.

A Big Leap for Truecaller on iPhones

The iOS 18.2 update has significantly improved Truecaller’s performance on iPhones, making it more reliable and effective than ever. With real-time spam detection, AI-powered call security, and future innovations, Truecaller is now more native to iOS than ever before.

If you haven’t updated your Truecaller app yet, now is the time to experience the power of real-time caller ID on iPhones