Google adds voice recognition for Urdu

We all know how easy it is to get work done when you’re dictating as compared to typing. Google has now heard your prayers.

Just a few hours ago, Google launched voice recognition support for Urdu and 30 other languages which are spoken by a cumulative 30 billion people. The voice typing feature is accessible via Gboard for Android. This means that now you search for anything on Google while speaking your mother tongue and get the right results. Or if you get tired of typing your texts, you can simply dictate it and Gboard will translate your voice into the written script of that language. It should be noted here that Google already has a feature which converts your Roman Urdu text to Urdu Script.

In order to check out this feature, you need to have the Gboard application installed and set as your default keyboard. Then follow these steps:

1. While using the Gboard, tap and hold the space bar and select ‘Google Voice Typing’.
2. Then tap on the ‘Settings’ icon and go to ‘Languages’.
3. In ‘Languages’, deselect English to make Urdu (Pakistan) your primary mode of input. (You can revert back to English anytime.)
4. Then, just speak away and Gboard will convert your voice to Urdu Script text.

The main aim behind Google’s new update was to celebrate and include the various languages spoken in the world particularly from the Asia and Africa region. The update brings with it support for various Indian languages like Marathi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, and Gujarati. In order to introduce support for these languages, Google worked with native speakers to gather samples of the most common phrases. This entire process trained Google’s machine learning algorithm to get trained over time to the various words and sounds, and hence accurately convert voice to text for the new languages.

You can also use voice recognition to add emojis now. Try saying something like ‘wink emoji’ or ‘smiley face emoji’.

Tell us in the comments below if you like the new voice recognition support for Urdu!