The new updates allow for the immediate translation of over 90 languages in third party apps
The new Google Translate updates are here, opening to great positive reception from users and tech analysts alike. The most recent updates allow for the translation of text in third-party software without having to open the Google app itself.
For now, the new Google Translate updates are only available for devices running on the Android Marshmallow operating system, which was released at the beginning of the current month. The mobile OS was aimed at improving the overall user experience through an updated UI.
It also improved the permission model used for the installation of new apps and also set up a system to considerably expand the battery life for all devices running it.
Customers who already have the Marshmallow operating system installed on their smartphones can download the updated Google Translate from the Play Store. It is now compatible with several other applications, allowing for quick translation of all text from WhatsApp, LinkedIn and TripAdvisor.
The product lead for Google Translate, Barak Turovsky, has detailed all the new benefits of the updates in a blog post. Turovsky has mentioned that the app has built-in recognition patterns for 90 languages, allowing for immediate linguistic interpretation in non-Google apps by using Marshmallow’s contextual text selection feature.
The process of translation was designed for maximum user comfort and easy accessibility. One simply needs to select the part of the text he/she wants translated and then choose the Translate option which will quickly appear in an options box that also includes the possibility to share or copy the selected portion.
In previous versions, users had to manually select the text, close the respective app and then open Google Translate and paste the fragment for a proper translation. Some have complained that the process was too tedious and time-consuming, especially during conversations that required an immediate response.
Turovsky has further stated that the new Google Translate updates will surely make the app more popular and reliable with Android users. Those browsing websites like TripAdvisor on their phones, for example, now have the direct option of reading reviews in foreign languages, previously inaccessible or more difficult to translate on a mobile device.
Google however has significant competition in the market of language translating apps. Recently, Microsoft has announced the release of the Skype Translator, which allows for immediate verbal translation in all Skype conversations carried out on PC and mobile devices running on Windows 10.
For many, this was a significant breakthrough in further inter-connecting the world and surpassing cultural and linguistic barriers. Because of this, many believe that Google still has a long way to go in providing an even more eye-catching innovative feature.
Photo Credits: Wikimedia
