Can pick up Hindi phrases, too.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: The Google Voice feature on the company’s Android devices has now been modified to do a better job recognizing words spoken by people with Indian accents, and can now also transliterate questions posed to it in Hindi.
Google Voice is a Siri-like application that allows users with Android phones – Android is the mobile operating system devised by Google – to verbally ask questions or make commands that the phone then responds to. But for those with accents that don’t come from either the US or UK, the Google Voice feature can be frustratingly difficult to use, as the technology simply doesn’t pick up the pronunciation of English in various different accents.
Now, Google India has announced that that problem has officially been fixed, albeit in a limited capacity. At a press event held in New Delhi on Tuesday, the company announced that users can now choose “English (India)” as a language option, which enables the Google Voice feature to pick up English spoken with an Indian accent, and several Hindi phrases.
There is not, however, total recognition of Hindi or any of India’s numerous regional languages. Speaking to The Times of India, Google India’s Head of Marketing, Sandeep Menon, said that over 700 volunteers were asked to read specific lines of dialogue in English and Hindi to help create the English and limited Hindi recognition, but insinuated that the company may add regional language implementation in the future.
For now, Android device users in India will have to upgrade their firmware to version 2.3 to enjoy the new Google Voice feature, and those with the Jelly Bean OS will also be able to use it, too.
The India Express reports that the Android market in India is huge, with over 85% of smartphone owners across the country having Android phones rather than Blackberries, iPhones, or any other popular brand.