Not exactly seemless translation. "The other exciting feature with the Pixel Buds works in tandem with Assistant: Instant translation via Google Translate. Tap and hold the right earbud and say “help me speak Japanese,” or one of the 40 supported languages. On your Pixel 2 smartphone, you’ll see the Google Translate app open up but with a unique interface specifically when it detects the Pixel Buds are connected. Tap and hold the right earbud and say a phrase, and the smartphone will then speak the phrase in the language you request. You’ll need to be holding the phone in front of the person you’re chatting with so they hear the translation from the speaker.
The person you’re chatting with can then tap the icon on the smartphone screen and say a phrase in their language, and you’ll immediately hear the translated sentence in your ear. The on-stage demo was impressive, but it didn’t exactly translate the same way in our short experience (pun intended).
Simple phrases and sentences worked really well, but anything more technical ended up with a few errors. Think about it — you’re still using Google Translate, which is an excellent and useful translation tool, but it’s no secret that it struggles with complicated translations. The Pixel Buds and Translate struggled with places and names as well.
It’s undoubtedly an exciting feature, but it’s not really new and no one has gotten it perfectly right yet. We don’t think the Pixel Buds will either, but Google’s attempt is a huge step closer. "
Despite headlines claiming that Google’s new Pixel Buds, which provide almost instantaneous translations of foreign languages, will change the world, the real innovation there has been out for years. Google Translate is the app that powers Google’s Pixel Bud translation, and it’s available for free to anyone on iOS or Android. With it, you can record one language and trigger an almost instantaneous spoken and written translation into another language. You can also translate almost any text in your camera lens in context — e.g. on the menu — and look up almost any phrase.
“I have [been doing] this [for] the last 3 years without any
ixel earbuds,” writes the top commenter on a recent CNET video, marveling over Pixel Bud translation.
“Good demonstration[,] but the earbuds aren’t necessary to use Google Translate … it’s all about the $,” writes another.
(20min delay)