Google moves to break down obstacles to communication

Assistant’s Interpreter mode will translate languages in real time

A new feature is coming to smartphones that will help break down language barriers just about anywhere in the world.

Google is updating Assistant so that it supports translating languages in real time.

According to the Google Blog, to use the feature, one says, “Hey Google. Be my German translator,” or “Hey Google, help me speak Spanish.” One can even simply say “Chinese interpreter.”

When the option appears, turn on interpreter mode. A tone will sound, and one starts speaking. Whatever is said will be translated for you automatically, as they are speaking. And, you will be able to both see and hear the translated conversation on your phone.

Google notes that after each translation, the Assistant can also present Smart Replies, which give you suggestions to let you quickly respond without actually speaking, an option that Google says will help make conversations more seamless.

The Interpreter mode will be able to do translations in 44 languages, from Arabic to Vietnamese.

It will be interesting to see how accurate Interpreter is. Local phrasings and idioms don’t always translate over well in apps like Google Translate, which is an issue we see sometimes here at the Yuma Sun when we’ve attempted to use it on stories between Bajo El Sol and the Yuma Sun.

However, overall, Interpreter is an amazing way to expand one’s ability to communicate with others. Language can be a barrier, even here in the U.S.

In Yuma County, for example, many people speak Spanish. This feature can help remove that language barrier, opening doors to communication for everyone.

Or, think about our Border Patrol agents. In Fiscal Year 2018, for example, Yuma Sector agents apprehended 32 people from China, one person from Egypt, 971 people from India, one person from Japan and 31 people from Romania, among the 26,244 apprehensions made in this sector that fiscal year, according to the statistics on CPB.gov.

Google Assistant would be a tremendous asset to help improve communications for both parties.

Technology is constantly changing and adapting, meeting a variety of needs in our lives. This is yet one more example that can truly have an impact.

If you want to check it out, it’s easy to find. If you use an Android phone, Assistant is already a feature of the operating system. iPhone users will need to download the Assistant app to access the translator, called Interpreter Mode. Unsigned editorials represent the viewpoint of this newspaper rather than an individual. Columns and letters to the editor represent the viewpoints of the persons writing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the Yuma Sun.