Google is shifting its strategy by making its live translation feature available on any earbuds paired with an Android phone, breaking free from its usual practice of restricting features to its own hardware. This change comes as part of improvements to the Translate app, which will now offer enhanced translation quality across numerous languages and introduce learning features similar to those of Duolingo.
The updated live translation technology, built on Google's Gemini, initially debuted earlier this year. It facilitates seamless back-and-forth translations in both text and audio formats. Previously, initiating a live translation session with Google Translate required Pixel Buds, but this requirement is being lifted.
Today marks the start of a beta test for this wider headphone compatibility, available in the US, Mexico, and India. While audio translation aims to maintain the speaker's original tone and cadence, it's not as advanced as the AI-generated voice translations available on the latest Pixel devices. Although this feature will initially support only Android devices, Google plans to extend it to iOS users in the coming months. Notably, Apple's iPhone offers a similar live translation functionality, but it's restricted to use with AirPods.