Truecaller Rolls Out Real-Time Caller ID and Automatic Blocking of Spam Calls for iPhone

For a long time, Truecaller had been peripherally equipped for the iPhone due to Apple's stringent walled garden, but not anymore. The company on Wednesday announced it was rolling out API support for iPhone that would enable features such as real-time caller identification and automatic blocking of spam telephone calls on Apple devices. This move is said to bring the iOS version of the app at par with its Android counterpart, which has offered the aforementioned features and more, for years.

Truecaller's New iPhone Features

Truecaller says that its latest app update for iPhone ensures the device can leverage its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to identify calls. It brings support for Apple's Live Caller ID Lookup framework, which is claimed to provide live caller ID. Introduced last year with iOS 18, this API allows third-party apps to check incoming calls against the server for known spam numbers.

The API uses homomorphic encryption which, the company claims, protects user privacy. It hides the client's IP address, uses anonymous authentication, and hides the incoming phone number. With its arrival, the iPhone can now also take advantage of automatic spam call blocking capability.

Automatic spam calls blocking is available globally while the live caller ID feature is being rolled out. It is available to Truecaller Premium subscribers with an iPhone running iOS 18.2. Free users will still be restricted to the existing ad-supported manual number search and caller ID of Verified Businesses features. Gadgets 360 can confirm that the features are now available on iPhone.

New Features on Truecaller for iOS

Here's how to enable it:

1. Update Truecaller app to version 14.0 or later via the iPhone's App Store.
2. Open iPhone Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification.
3. Enable all Truecaller toggles and restart the app.

While these features are new, the company has been teasing the arrival of native iOS support over the last few months. Following the introduction of the iOS 18 update and a live caller ID API in September, Truecaller Co-founder Alan Mamedi shared his positive thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Truecaller finally works on iPhone”.

The last notable addition is the ability to subscribe to the Premium Family plan within the app. The company says users can now enjoy and share features such as Truecaller AI Assistant, with up to four additional people at a low monthly or annual price. For users in India, the Truecaller Premium subscription also includes fraud insurance.