Google Translate just got an update that frees live translation from earbuds and headphones.
The Gemini 3.5 Live Translate update introduces a listening mode that works just through a phone’s earpiece. This Android-exclusive feature works by holding the phone up to your ear to hear the translated audio.
Being able to get translations without having to search your pockets or bag for earbuds is particularly useful when traveling. It can mean getting essential directions to catch a train from someone racing to get their own.
The latest version of Live Translate is also built for chaotic travel situations because Google trained it for high noise robustness, meaning that it can detect and translate even when there’s chaos from a crowded train station, a jumble of voices, and street noise.
The feature will be available soon, as Gemini 3.5 Live Translate update rolls out to both the Android and iOS versions of the Google Translate app.
Building on a good thing
Google said the update makes translation faster and more fluid.
“Unlike turn by turn systems that wait for the speaker to finish speaking before responding, 3.5 Live Translate generates speech continuously, balancing the trade-off between waiting for context to improve quality and translating immediately to stay in sync with the speaker,” it said in its announcement post.
Live Translate detects and translates over 70 languages and turns out translated speech that echoes the intonation, pacing, and pitch of the speaker.
When Live Translate launched, it was exclusively tied to the Pixel Buds. But this past December, the Android version of Google Translate extended the feature to all headphones.
