Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
TL;DR Google is rolling out a new feature called Scroll and Translate that adds live translation capabilities to Circle to Search.
There’s confusion about the branding, as the company has interchangeably called the feature “Live Translate” and “Scroll and Translate.”
The rollout appears to be limited as only Google app beta users on Pixels have received the feature so far.
Earlier in the day, we brought you news that Google is working on a massive upgrade to Circle to Search with a new live translation feature. This live functionality will likely be used to translate dynamic screens, such as scrolling webpages and even videos. As it turns out, we don’t have to wait too long for the feature to roll out, as some users already have the functionality on their phones, but in the form of Scroll and Translate.
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Some Google app beta users have reported that Circle to Search’s Live Translate feature is available on their phones as Scroll and Translate. It is also available on our Pixel without any additional steps, although it isn’t available on non-Pixels yet, marking this as a limited rollout. This is how Circle to Search’s Scroll and Translate works:
The feature works slightly differently from what we originally spotted. There’s no dedicated Live Translate button just yet. Instead, you can access the Live Translate feature by tapping the Translate icon in Circle to Search and then tapping the “Scroll and translate” option.
Scroll and Translate’s current implementation lacks cropping functionality, so you cannot select a part of the display for translation. You are stuck translating the contents of the whole screen. You’d also notice in the video that Scroll and Translate requires some processing time, and the text-on-text translation overlay is a little jarring. Still, the end experience is better than going back and forth trying to translate pieces of text littered throughout a webpage. Users might have a better experience just pasting the webpage’s link in Google Translate for a more seamless translation experience, but Circle to Search works as a quicker alternative.
Google has interchangeably called this feature Live Translate and Scroll and Translate in the app code. Live Translate already exists on Pixel devices as a different feature, so adding Live Translate to Circle to Search would be confusing. It remains to be seen which branding Google ultimately chooses. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.
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