by Muyiwa Matuluko

Thanks to the World Lens acquisition last May, the Google Translate app just got a couple of feature updates to make it even cooler than it ever was.

Instant translation 

With the previous version of Google Translate, you could snap a photo of text and later get it translated in 36 languages. Now with this latest update, Google have upped the ante by making the translation instant, in real time. This means you can now comfortably navigate street signs, menus and other text – only in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish for now. All you have to do is just point your camera at the sign and viola – instant translation. What’s more? It works even without an internet connection!

Multilingual conversations

With this new update, you can also now hold conversations in different languages – you tap the mic icon on the app to record a message in any language and the Google Translate app will play it out in a second language for you. Asking for directions or having small talk in a foreign language was never easier

The new Google Translate is not live yet but updates will be rolling out to both Android and iOS in the coming days. We will keep you posted on any updates

Muyiwa