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You Can Get Translations Directly From the Camera App in iOS 16

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple in iOS 16 has brought its system wide translate feature to the Camera app, allowing the iPhone to be used to translate signs, packaging, and more in real time.

ios-16-translate-camera.jpg

Using the translate feature is as simple as opening up the Camera app and pointing it at the text you want to translate. Tap on the text selection button in the app to select the detected text, and then choose the translate option to get an instant translation.

You can pause the view to get translations overlaid on text, and zoom in for a closer look. It's a useful feature that's perfect for signs and other wording that you might not understand when you're traveling.

The Google Translate app has long had a similar feature where you can activate a camera in the app and translate whatever text is around you, so this new iOS 16 feature basically puts the iOS Camera app on par with Google's Translate option.

Apple has also added new Quick Actions that can be used with this Camera feature and with other Live Text options across iOS. Quick Actions make data that's detected in photos, videos, and through the Camera app actionable. Flight information, shipments, foreign languages, currencies, URLs, and more can be tapped on so you can track packages, make conversions, visit URLs, and more, all from content within photos and videos.

actionable-live-text-ios-16.jpg

iOS 16 is available to developers at the current time, with Apple planning to make a public beta available in July.

Article Link: You Can Get Translations Directly From the Camera App in iOS 16
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/06/07/ios-16-camera-app-translate/
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chumps52 said:
I've not used Apple's translate much, but if it's as accurate as Google Translate (probably not, but if it's close enough at least), I might replace the latter with this...
Click to expand...

I have used it; it is still not as accurate and also not as fluid, in the sense that you need more clicks/touches to achieve a translation than you would in Google Translate.
 
MacRumors said:


Apple in iOS 16 has brought its system wide translate feature to the Camera app, allowing the iPhone to be used to translate signs, packaging, and more in real time.

ios-16-translate-camera.jpg

Using the translate feature is as simple as opening up the Camera app and pointing it at the text you want to translate. Tap on the text selection button in the app to select the detected text, and then choose the translate option to get an instant translation.

You can pause the view to get translations overlaid on text, and zoom in for a closer look. It's a useful feature that's perfect for signs and other wording that you might not understand when you're traveling.

The Google Translate app has long had a similar feature where you can activate a camera in the app and translate whatever text is around you, so this new iOS 16 feature basically puts the iOS Camera app on par with Google's Translate option.

Apple has also added new Quick Actions that can be used with this Camera feature and with other Live Text options across iOS. Quick Actions make data that's detected in photos, videos, and through the Camera app actionable. Flight information, shipments, foreign languages, currencies, URLs, and more can be tapped on so you can track packages, make conversions, visit URLs, and more, all from content within photos and videos.

actionable-live-text-ios-16.jpg

iOS 16 is available to developers at the current time, with Apple planning to make a public beta available in July.

Article Link: You Can Get Translations Directly From the Camera App in iOS 16
Click to expand...
I had an app for exactly this a decade ago. Apple got rid in an upadate. So 10 years later... wow, just wow. And people will think this is a huge new thing.
 
chumps52 said:
I've not used Apple's translate much, but if it's as accurate as Google Translate (probably not, but if it's close enough at least), I might replace the latter with this...
Click to expand...
The problem for me has been that half the time Apple Translate says “translation unavailable“.
 
Nice! iOS 16 is PACKED with features. Makes me worried about stability, but so far I am liking what I am seeing. Lots of quality of life and other incremental improvements that have people have been clamoring about for years.
 
Sakurambo-kun said:
Siri understands a small number of languages compared to Google Translate, so unless that's changed then this won't be on the same level.
Click to expand...
What are you talking about Siri has improved leaps and bounds, at the current pace Siri will know what a Cat is in about 3-5 years.
 
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except that it was added in iOS15.... what was added in iOS16 was the UI button which improves upon the feature. Before now, one would need to select the text while in this view and then tap on translate. Same thing, slightly less work now though
 
Apple really needs to add some more languages in the translate app. Hopefully for iOS 16.
 
In Google translate you point the camera and in real time it changes the text as if it was in the translated language all along like augmented reality. And that was like more than 5 years ago.
 
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