Google has updated its Translate apps for iOS and Android incorporating aspects of the Word Lens translation service which it acquired some time back, as well as a smarter conversation mode that listens to both conversations at once, facilitating a faster exchange.
On the topic of Word Lens, which Google acquired last year, all you need to do is hit the camera button and point your phone at a sign, poster or something else with printed words and you’ll receive an instant, augmented reality translation live on your screen. This part of Google Translate supports English to and from French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Google is promising more languages later, but this is still a reasonable start.
The second feature is one that will be great for conversations. While conversation mode has been around since 2013, it couldn’t be described as particularly great. Conversation participants had to take turns, and wait for the translation to finish before switching languages. With this new version, speakers can speak in their preferred language without pressing any buttons in between, and the app will figure out who’s speaking, in what language, and translate it on the fly.
The update will be rolling out via the Google Play Store soon, but as usual, if you want to grab the APK without waiting, APK Mirror has you covered.
It hasn’t automatically updated you, damnit.
I really want to try this. See how good the voice translator is. It will be vastly useful.