Introduction Of Caller ID
For years, iPhone users have lagged behind their Android counterparts in accessing real-time caller ID features on Truecaller. That changes today, as the company rolls out an update that finally brings this functionality to its iOS subscribers.
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This advancement is made possible by Apple’s introduction of Live Caller ID Lookup in iOS 18. The new feature allows third-party caller ID apps like Truecaller to securely query their servers for caller information. This update also marks the first major product release since Truecaller’s co-founders, Alan Mamedi and Nami Zarringhalam, stepped down from day-to-day operations in November 2024.
The Growing Role of iOS in Truecaller’s Business
Truecaller currently boasts over 2.6 million paying subscribers, with approximately 750,000 of them using iOS. Despite this relatively small share, iOS subscriptions contribute significantly to the company’s revenue. Notably, Truecaller generates 40% of its premium revenue from iPhone users, and its conversion rate to premium is five times higher on iOS than on Android. Additionally, revenue per iPhone subscriber is 80% higher than that of an Android user.
Given the platform’s importance, Truecaller continues to refine its iOS experience. In 2022, the company revamped its iOS app to enhance spam detection by leveraging Apple’s expanded local number storage capability. While this improved call identification, it was not sufficient in high-call-volume regions like India, where offline databases alone could not capture all calling activity.
Challenges and Innovations in India
India presents unique challenges for Truecaller. A new local telecom service, Calling Name Presentation (CNAP), aims to reduce spam and could eventually emerge as competition for Truecaller. However, Truecaller continues to innovate, as evidenced by its 2023 update introducing live caller ID for iOS—though that version required user interaction with Siri and did not operate in real-time.
Before iOS 18, Truecaller relied on a locally stored dictionary of phone numbers to provide caller identification on iPhones. Now, with Live Caller ID Lookup, the company has built a dedicated, encrypted server architecture and a separate database for iOS users. Apple’s phone app sends encrypted queries to this database, receiving encrypted responses that are decrypted only on the client device (iPhone). This approach, known as “homomorphic encryption,” ensures caller information is securely processed without exposing raw data on external servers.
Ensuring Data Sync and Performance
Truecaller has also developed a system to synchronize its two databases efficiently. However, due to the encryption process’s complexity, there may be slight delays in some cases.
“At the moment, there might be a bit of a delay because these requests get queued up, and the encryption that we do is very time-consuming — and very expensive. … But it should not be more than a few hours,” said Nakul Kabra, Truecaller’s Product Director, in an interview with TechCrunch.
TechCrunch tested the feature under Truecaller’s beta program and confirmed that caller information appears in real time in most cases, though occasional misses were observed.
Subscription Plans and Feature Access
Truecaller’s premium plan for iOS is available at $9.99 per month or $74.99 per year for individuals. The family plan starts at $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year, while the Gold subscription tier is priced at $249 annually.
Users can enable Live Caller ID Lookup by navigating to iPhone Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification.
With iOS 18, Truecaller has also updated its interface to display caller names in bold over their phone numbers. The company is now working on integrating profile images into caller ID for iOS users, further enhancing the experience.
