Katarzyna Petru
Google is testing something that could bring about a small revolution in one of the most commonly used applications in the world. The latest version of the Translator features a translation model switch – with options for “advanced” and “quick”. It sounds unassuming, but in practice, it's the first step towards personalising translations tailored to… Gemini.
Two modes, two worlds of translation
The new slider can be found under the Google Translate logo, right at the top of the screen. By default, it is set to the “advanced” mode, which according to the description should offer better translations, but only for selected languages and – for now – for written text. However, by tapping, you can switch to the “quick” model, which likely uses fewer resources and operates more efficiently in offline mode or with a weaker connection.
This solution resembles the model selection in the Gemini app, where users can choose whether they prefer a more powerful model (Gemini 1.5 Pro) or a lighter one (Gemini 1.5 Flash).
For now, only for a portion of users
The new feature is appearing on iOS, but – as is usually the case with Google – the rollout is staged. Android users will have to be patient. The feature may appear remotely, on the server side, without the need to update the application. For now, there is no information on whether the “advanced” mode will be linked to the paid Google AI Pro offering. The portal 9to5Google suggests that this may be the case, as similar solutions are already being tested in other applications of the company. Google is officially silent – at least for now.
Gemini deeper in the Translator
In August, the company announced that the integration of Gemini models had significantly improved the quality of translations. A month later, widgits in the Control Centre appeared on iOS – for quickly launching the camera, dictation, or conversing in translator mode. Everything suggests that Google is moving towards a complete unification of its language and AI tools. So, if the advanced Translator mode indeed turns out to be based on Gemini, we can expect translations to be more contextual, accurate, and natural than ever before.
What next?
At this moment, the “advanced” mode works solely for text translation and only in selected languages. But Google is unlikely to make such changes without a plan. We can expect that in future updates, the option will also include conversation mode, camera, and real-time translation. Is this the beginning of a new era in Google Translate – with AI running at full throttle? All signs point to yes.
For now, however, we must wait until the “advanced / quick” switch appears for all Android users.
