Who I have the same questioned this topic

I've had the Premium Visual Voice Mail add-on essentially forever, ever since leaving Sprint for Verizon back in 2009 when I bought my Galaxy S4. I've continued to pay for it when upgrading to my S7, and then my S10, and now my S21 Ultra.

In particular I enjoy the transcription of voice-to-text, which is remarkably accurately done by Google Voice. Getting up to a 45 second frontend of the [possibly longer] voice message and never having to actually retrieve the voice mail itself even if I want to play it instead of read it, well this is just a perfect feature. Glad to pay for it.

Except that it now works differently on the S21 Ultra than it has on all other phones before it. And it now STINKS! So unless I'm missing something, and there is some secret way to make it work like it used to, I'm contemplating canceling it after 11 years of using it. It's now just that bad and useless and annoying.

Has anybody else notice this? Is it something truly new on the S21 Ultra, or has it always worked this way on phones/tablets with large screens?

The problem is this. Previously when launching the Voicemail app what I call "Page 1" would appear, displaying the list of all voice messages. There was maybe 2 lines per call, showing the caller id or caller's name (from my Contacts) or phone number, date/time of call, message duration, etc. At 2 lines per call the list could show maybe 12-15 calls per page as I recall.

Then you'd tap on one of those calls listed, and Page 1 would disappear and what I call "Page 2" would appear.  At the top of the page you had the same general title and call identification information (perhaps a bit more? can't remember now). Then about 2/3 of the screen was taken up with the actual maybe 15 lines maximum of transcribed message text. This was about how many lines were needed for a typical 45 seconds of spoken words at a normal speed. So the transcription limit was about either 45 seconds or about 15 lines of text. And the font size of the text was nice and large and easily read.

In the bottom 1/3 of the screen there were two rows of action buttons and controls, and the message timer (which would progress if you actually pressed the PLAY button to hear the actual voice message). There was a SPEAKER button, a PLAY button, a PHONE button (to return the call), etc. Nice large buttons that were easy to tap with your fingers. Well spaced.

And that was Page 2. A complete screen fully dedicated to the presentation of text etc. for the one call voice message.  When you were done you either deleted the message (using the TRASH button) and were automatically returned to Page 1 to see the message list again, or you pressed BACK to simply return to Page 1.

That's how it always has worked. No longer.

Now, they've expanded the 1-2 line message list size for each call's item. It's now each call item is about 4-5 lines tall, and contains additional information, a larger picture/avatar for the caller (if present in your Contacts), the first line of transcribed text, etc.  Actually it's probably a visually improved presentation from the bland way it used to look. 

Yes, the increased "height" of each call's item entry in the list now means there are only perhaps 5 calls per page instead of 12 calls per page. But they really are useful and informative in their new larger presentation. So on this part of the change I can't complain. I think they've done a good thing and I react positively.

It is what happens next that is the real horror story. When you tap on a call entry item on Page 1's message list, THERE IS NO LONGER A PAGE 2 PRESENTED FOR THAT MESSAGE!!!

Instead, the initial 4-5 line call entry on Page 1 now simply EXPANDS into a bigger area that is perhaps 1/2 the screen size in height. All call items below the now expanded item are "pushed down" on the screen (with the bottom 1 or 2 pushed off the screen temporarily, to make room for the now enlarged 1/2 screen tall expanded call item).

And instead of 45 seconds max of transcribed voice message to up to 15 lines of text, there is only 5 lines of text shown representing perhaps 15 seconds max! And the font size of the characters in these 5 lines is almost microscopic! You have to move your head close to the phone in order to read the text in those 5 lines.  Just ridiculous!

Now there doesn't appear to be any way to "drill down deeper" to perhaps present the true Page 2 with the full 45 seconds of transcribed text in 15 lines of large font size characters as there used to be. It seems they have simply done away with Page 2 entirely!!

So unless I'm missing something in terms of somehow getting to Page 2, I would say there is no longer a Page 2 at all!  And the "expanded call item on Page 1" presentation is only 5 lines of text in a very tiny font size, providing only maybe 15 seconds of transcribed words from the voice message itself.  This is absolutely criminal, as it no longer delivers the advertised product functionality as described in the marketing writeup.

And to make it just even worse, the two rows of large well spaced control buttons that used to appear in the bottom 1/3 of Page 2 previously, well they're compressed into little miniature buttons again in two rows at the bottom of that expanded item area which now happens on Page 1 when you tap on the item in the message list.

That new expanded area on Page 1 when tapping on a message list item if just too small. Even at 1/2 the screen size it only contains 5 lines of text, with miniature font size and with miniature control buttons at the bottom of the area.  Just terrible and not user-friendly.

Who could possibly have designed this and thought it was good? What was wrong with what used to be for the past 11 years? What's wrong with a Page 1 and Page 2, with Page 2 taking the entire screen and fully dedicated to everything about one single voice message. And 15 lines of large readable text, with 45 seconds worth of transcription.

Why would they do this and think this is good?

Anybody else bothered like I am? Or did I simply miss any new instructions on how to do some customization that will somehow make it all better again?