You can now listen to a speech in a foreign language and have your phone’s Google Translate app automatically convert that into a language you are familiar with.
You can also have it handy, say, at a university lecture so you can have the text rolling onto your screen as the lecturer dives into the details of early Greek history, for example.
The updated feature is turning up in the Google Translate app in the coming days, according to the Internet company today. It adds to the previous translation modes that Google already offers.
Currently, a Conversation mode lets you speak in a different language with someone, thanks to quick translations that appear on the phone screen or are read out to you on your Bluetooth earphones.
However, this is often a start-stop experience, like any typical two-way conversation. The new transcribe feature will let you have a continuous translation shown on screen while the speaker continues a speech in his or her language.
One example that Google is grandmothers, who often speak in a different language from their young ones. With the Translate app, the grandchildren can now easily listen in to instantly transcribed stories from the seniors, Google promises.
When it is out, the updated app will first support any combination of eight languages: English, French, German, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai.
To enjoy the new feature, you’ll have to download the latest Google Translate app onto your phone; if you have it already, you have to update it to the latest version. There’s a new Transcribe button on the screen for you to get started.
