Google Translate has been enhanced with new features, enhanced context-based translation options, and a redesigned interface.
This is done to improve the experience of its 1 billion users. The platform gained 24 new languages in the previous year, including Assamese, Bhojpuri, Konkani, and Sanskrit.
Google Translate AI-powered Contextual translation
Google Translate has been updated to offer more contextual translation options as well as examples in the target language. This will provide you with the context you need to accurately translate words, phrases, idioms, or expressions in languages such as English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, which will be available in the coming weeks.
A new design, new languages and new gestures
The Google Translate app for Android recently received a new design, and a similar design will be introduced to the iOS version in the near future. The redesigned app has a larger typing area as well as more convenient ways to start a translation, such as through conversation, voice input, or the Lens camera.
- New gestures: Google Translate has added new user-friendly gestures, such as the ability to select a language with fewer taps and holding the language button to quickly access recently used languages with a swipe.
- More readable fonts: To view recent translations, swipe down on the text area on the home screen. With a dynamic font that adjusts as text is entered and additional translations and dictionary definitions (when available), translation results are now more readable.
- More languages: Offline access is now available for 33 additional languages, including Basque, Corsican, Hawaiian, Hmong, Kurdish, Latin, Luxembourgish, Sundanese, Yiddish, and Zulu.
Google Translate Image translation expands
Google Translate has traditionally been used for text translation, but thanks to advances in AI, it is now possible to translate images with Lens, which uses your device’s camera. Advanced machine learning technology has also allowed for the incorporation of translated text into complex images, making them appear and feel more natural (available on Android phones with 6GB+ RAM or more).
Availability
The aforementioned Google Translate features will be available in the coming weeks. Google also stated that the app will be expanded in the near future to provide more options for translating image-based content, regardless of how it is searched.
Xinxing Gu, Product Manager at Google Translate, commented on the announcement, saying,
AI has helped power some of our biggest advancements in translation in the years since we’ve launched Google Translate. Today, we’re launching even more AI-powered features to provide helpful and contextual awareness when using Translate on mobile and the web.
This year, we’ll be continuing to experiment with AI-led experiences in Translate to give you faster, more accurate and dynamic translations in the app, and around the world.
