You don’t need to be connected to the Internet anymore to enable Google Translate. The iOS and Android app can now translate offline, in real time #mobilemagic
The latest update to the Google Translate app makes it possible to avoid the whole snap-and-convert process. Originally, you had to take a picture of a sign or menu to see the translation from Japanese to English.
Now, though, hovering your camera above it is enough and results are instant. This is possible thanks to the Word Lens feature, an idea implemented with the help of startup Quest Digital. Google acquired the company in 2014 for their augmented reality smarts.
The startup focused on superimposing translated text on top of a foreign language with the help of a smartphone camera. Their expertise was put to good use and in 2015, Google Translate announced the upgrade officially. It was then released with support for a couple of languages, but expended in time.
Two years later, the app can even convert Japanese signs (not the easiest to read in the world, let’s face it) to English words.
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