The Pixel 7’s Clear Calling is noise cancellation for phone calls

You may never have called someone who uses a Serger sewing machine. I have, and I’m here to tell you. It sounds like you’re talking to someone in the middle of a raging tornado tearing apart a bus stop. until it works. When that happens, the tornado disappears into a gentle windstorm, making it possible to continue the conversation. It’s the sort of useful background feature that Google’s Pixel phones excel at. Too bad most of them don’t get it.

When Google announced the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, we talked about features coming after launch. This feature, called Clear Calling, is designed to reduce line background noise when you are talking to someone in a noisy environment, such as a cafe or busy street. It arrived with his December feature removal, and not long after, I tested it on the phone with my sister.

I’m not exactly sure what a Serger is, but it seems to be a heavy-duty version of your garden sewing machine. Because if you’re in a cafe and it’s as noisy as Sergar, you’ll probably walk away. But the feature worked well enough to keep us talking about it.

Apparently there is a lot to stop and start in Sergar. Every time the machine spins again, like I hear the noise canceling kick in on my headphones, my sister keeps talking and there’s a brief moment heard at full volume before being silenced by a background growl. There was a similar effect when she tested it while standing next to the washing machine when it was full. The drop in volume was noticeable enough, she asked if the water was fluctuating, and she confirmed it was at a constant level. Every time she started talking, the Pixel 7 Pro performed its function.

This is all good news for Pixel 7 and 7 Pro owners. Not much if you have a Pixel 6. Google spokesperson Matthew Flegal says the 1st-gen hex with Tensor won’t be on the Pixel 6 because it “needs the capabilities of the Google Tensor G2 processor.” This is like, of course. I guess. But it stinks that Google touts his Pixels with a phone image that continues to improve throughout the life of this device.

When Google is at its best, it offers something like Clear Calling. They arrive on your phone one day and work in the background with little user input (Clear Calling needs to be turned on once, but that’s it). Take Face Unblur: This feature, introduced in Pixel 6, uses image data from two camera sensors to keep faces sharp even when the subject is in motion. There is nothing you need to do to use it. It just works in the background when the conditions are right and the results are good (Photo Unblur is a newer related feature, but not as impressive).

There are strong arguments about buying phones that get better over time, especially with really useful new features like Clear Calling. But he’s only had a year of significant improvements, and then a phone that’s been left behind in favor of newer, sleeker models isn’t all that appealing. Can you hear me, Google?