Is there anything left to announce at Google's Oct. hardware event with all the leaks about the Pixel 4 already out there?
Well, here's another one. As per a recent hands-on video from 9to5Google, the phone will apparently ship with a built-in Recorder app out of the box.
However, it's not just any ordinary recording app. It can automatically transcribe voice memos, potentially saving a great deal of time and energy by letting AI do the work.
Pixel 4 Automatic Transcription
XDA Developers tested the automatic audio transcription feature, and it seems like it worked well enough. Although the transcription of XDA Developers' test recording got the name wrong — Mishaal Rahman — and added unnecessary periods, the resulting transcription is still decent.
Transcription services are typically paid if the user doesn't want to perform the task themselves. There are a bunch of services, such as Otter.ai, exactly for this purpose. With Google's knowhow and skill in artificial intelligence, this Recorder app's automatic translation feature could be a nice alternative, especially if the company offers it for free.
Pixel 4 Automatic Transcription Search
The Recorder app also takes it a step further by allowing users to search for a word within transcriptions and go to the section in the recording where that word is mentioned, saving users' the trouble of fast forwarding and rewinding just to land on their desired spot. This could be a significantly time-saving feature that negates the need to scrub over audio repeatedly to find exact quotes or replay certain moments.
9to5Google also tested the Recorder app itself and found what appear to be Google's official Play Store images of the app. The publication also showed off another useful feature: Recorder can automatically add time codes to section of a recording as well, which will go a long way toward helping users more intuitively find certain parts of a transcript.
Pixel 4 Automatic Transcription Audio Moments
It doesn't stop there. XDA Developers dug through the app's code further and found an even more impressive feature. Apparently, users can search for certain "moments" within section, such as "applause," "bird," "knock," "cat," "dog," "speech," "whistling," and more.
All transcription features are processed on-device, too, meaning Google technically won't listen to audio files nor store them in its servers.
Recorder can only translate English for now, although more languages could be added moving forward.
Google could offer more details about this app at its hardware event later this October, so stay tuned. Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
