Google announced today that its “Live Translate with Headphone” feature is officially moving out of beta and rolling out to iOS devices (or iPhones). The update allows iPhone users wearing compatible headphones or earphones to listen real-time translations of spoken conversations in over 70 different languages.
Google’s Live Translation ‘feels more human’
While basic translation tools have existed for some time now, Google says that its latest technology aims to make digital conversations feel more human. When the feature launched in beta late last year, Google promised the system would “preserve the tone, emphasis, and cadence of each speaker. ”
By maintaining the natural rhythm of a person’s voice, the AI makes it much easier for a listener to follow the emotion and flow of a conversation, rather than just hearing a flat, robotic voice.
The launch puts Google in direct competition with Apple’s own “Live Translation” for AirPods, which is currently available on the AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and the recently released AirPods Pro 3.
Google Live Translation gets huge language support
The feature supports a wide-reaching list of 70+ languages, covering major global regions. Supported languages include:
Commonly spoken: Spanish, French (including Canadian French), German, Hindi, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, and Portuguese.
Regional languages: Punjabi, Zulu, Filipino, Ukrainian, Urdu, Tamil, and Vietnamese.
European and Asian languages: Dutch, Swedish, Greek, Korean, Japanese, and Thai.
How to use Google Live Translation on iPhones
To get started, iPhone users simply need the latest version of the Google Translate app and a pair of connected headphones.
Once the live translation mode is activated, the phone’s microphone picks up the surrounding speech, processes it through Google’s AI, and beams the translated audio directly into the user’s ears.
