Newsletter
Ever since the launch of Google Translate, the company has been at the forefront of the field of translation and language technology. At the recent Live from Paris event, Google announced new contextual tools for Google Translate, which the company claims will transform how people communicate across different languages, along with a major redesign of the iOS app.
The update places a major emphasis on improving the accuracy of bilingual translations with the introduction of contextual translation in English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. The app will now display different variations of words with multiple meanings, allowing users to choose the option that best fits their intended communication. This is particularly helpful for those learning a new language and seeking to communicate effectively with native speakers.
Further, Google is also enhancing its AR translation capabilities through Google Lens by introducing the ability to seamlessly blend translated text into the background image, making it easier to translate posters and signs without altering their appearance. However, this feature will only be available on Android phones with 6GB RAM or more.
Redesign for the iOS app
After rolling out the Material You redesign for the Android version of the app last year, Google is finally updating the iOS Google Translate app. As part of the redesign, the app will now feature a large microphone button in the centre-bottom part of the screen, making it easier for users to input text through voice. Secondly, the app will also include a dynamic font that will make the translations more legible as users type and new gestures such as swiping down to access recent translations and holding the language button to quickly select a recently used language.
Additionally, the app will also support offline translation for 33 new languages, including Basque, Corsican, Hawaiian, Hmong, Kurdish, Latin, Luxembourgish, Sundanese, Yiddish, and Zulu.
