Google is planning to make some major AI-powered changes to its Google Translate app which, among other things, could take the tech giant face to face with Duolingo with the release of a new Practice Mode feature.
According to an Android Authority report, Google Translate’s new Practice Mode feature will be aimed at gamifying the learning experience on the app. The feature creates personalized lessons that can currently only be practiced in French or Spanish at the moment. After selecting the desired language, users will be asked to choose their level of proficiency from options like Just Starting, Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced.
From there, Google Translate will ask users to choose from a variety of scenarios to practice their new language, including food and drink, greetings and introductions, and asking for directions, along with dedicated subtopics. Moreover, Google will also provide the option to create a personalized practice scenario and choose whether it will be a listening or a speaking session.
As part of the changes in the Translate UI, Google will shrink the size of the voice input button and move it to the right-hand side instead of taking the center position. Meanwhile, there will also be a bookmark button at the top for saving content and a new row of icons at the bottom for microphone, handwriting, and paste.
What other changes are coming to Google Translate?
Google is also reportedly adding a model picker to the app, which will be available on the Translate results page. The report states that the Fast model will optimize for “speed and efficiency,” while the Advanced model “specializes in accuracy using Gemini.”
It seems like the Fast model in Google Translate is aimed at getting quick translations in scenarios like reading a signboard or a menu, while the Advanced model could be handy for scenarios that require an understanding of context, like having a one-on-one conversation with a native speaker.
The new Advanced model feature, however, currently only supports English–French and English–Spanish translation at the moment.
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