Google Translate will now understand the difference between bass and bass
Revealed in the midst of the company's Live from Paris event, Google Translate is gaining a much-needed upgrade as it's gaining what is arguably the most important translation metric: context.
With the power of AI, Google Translate will begin to provide more “contextual translation options” complete with examples in the intended language. In the example given, the AI will be able to understand if you’re talking about ordering a bass (the fish) for dinner or ordering a bass (the instrument) for your band. The service will then provide sample sentences for each translation pertaining to a particular meaning.
Besides maintaining accuracy, the announcement states Google Translate will begin using “the right turns of phrase, local idioms, or appropriate words depending on your intent.” That way, the translated sentence will match how a native speaker talks.
The update will be rolling out to Google Translate on both mobile and browser versions within the coming weeks. At launch, only a handful of languages will be supported: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Other reports claim more languages will be coming out months from now. We reached out to Google to confirm this; however, a representative told us the company doesn’t have any new info to share at the moment.
Additionally, the Google Translate app redesign that first appeared on Android is migrating over to iOS. iPhone owners will now have a slew of quality-of-life changes such as a “larger canvas for typing [alongside] more accessible entry points”. The user interface has also been streamlined to make translating easier to do.
You'll also have a more dynamic font that will autocorrect itself as you type. “Alternate translation and dictionary definitions” will appear alongside translations. Users can also hold the language button to “quickly pick a recently used language.” And swiping down on the text area brings up recent translations.
For the cherry on top, Google Translate on iOS will support an additional 33 languages from Hawaiian, Hmong, Luxembourgish, and Yiddish – just to name a few. It is recommended you download this batch onto your phone in case you get stuck without an internet connection and need to translate something on the fly. A set of instructions on how to download them can be found on the Translate Help page.
Hopefully, with these changes, Google Translate is able to shake its long-standing reputation of being inaccurate. But if you still don’t trust the service and want something better, be sure to check out TechRadar’s recently updated list of the best translation software of 2023.
Google Translate is getting contextual translation & iOS redesign
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.
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.
AI is about to make Google Translate a whole lot smarter
Google today announced updates to its Translate app for iOS, Android, and the web. The company will be bringing in additional context to translations to help you understand more about your target language, and it’ll also be using a lot more AI power for Translate to make that happen.
First, Google is using AI to add more context to transitions, as well as better translate images. The first is aimed at helping people properly grasp words that have multiple meanings.
Google gives the example of “novel.” This could mean a novel, something that is new, or something that is unique and original. Translate will now use AI to deliver contextual information so you can pick the right word for the occasion. Google will support this feature in English, French, German, and Spanish over the next few weeks.
The second feature uses AI and machine learning (ML) to properly position translated text on an image, Currently, Google displays text in an overlay that may or may not properly display. Google says if you’re using an Android phone with over 6GB of RAM, it’ll now be able to blend the text into the image properly such that it looks more “natural”.
Google is also bringing a new design to the iOS app following the rollout of the Material You redesign on Android phones. It’s not clear if Google will use the same styling or one that’s more tailored to Apple’s Human Interface Design guidelines as the company has indicated it plans to start doing. In any case, the new design will include a “redesigned Translate experience provides a larger canvas for typing and more accessible entry points for translating conversations, voice input, and Lens camera translation.” Universal to iOS and Android will be new gestures, a more readable font, and support for more languages when using on-device translation. Highlighted is support for Basque, Corsican, Hawaiian, Hmong, Kurdish, Latin, Luxembourgish, Sundanese, Yiddish, and Zulu.
Google has always used a little bit of AI through its services, but the rise of generative AI in recent times has made companies like Google (and Microsoft’s new Bing experience) substantially keener to show off just how good and helpful their AI is. The Google Translate app is a fantastic tool in the arsenal of travelers, and these updates at least sidestep the thornier issues that AI use is facing this year.
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