Accessibility and AI are two things Google takes very seriously. Now, the company is combining them so that more people can use all the capabilities of its devices more easily. At its latest product launch event, Google announced 4 new AI-powered accessibility updates for your Pixel phone.
Improved Guided Frame: Democratizing the perfect selfie
Guided Frame is a feature designed for people who are blind or visually impaired. It offers audible instructions to help you focus your face correctly for a selfie. By detecting the best angle, Guided Frame will automatically take the photo. This feature was already available, but now it works better thanks to “improved object recognition, intelligent face filtering in group photos, and better focus on subjects even in complex scenes.”
Also, Guided Frame was only accessible through TalkBack, Android’s accessibility assistant. However, you can now enable it from the camera app settings.
More powerful Magnifier tool
Google is improving Magnifier with more features and detection capabilities. It’s now able to detect specific words in the environment around you. For example, the name of a street you are looking for or a specific dish on a menu in another language.
Magnifier now also lets you zoom in on the image taken with your camera while keeping the full image in PiP format. This will make it easier for you to spot or find items in your environment by avoiding confusion. Google added an option to switch lenses so you can take advantage of all the cameras on your Pixel device according to the situation. Plus, now you can use Selfie Illumination to turn your phone into a makeup or touch-up mirror.
Exclusive AI accessibility updates for Pixel foldables
Pixel foldables (like the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold) are getting an exclusive AI accessibility feature with this update: a Live Transcribe boost. The new dual-screen mode allows for greater visibility for transcriptions. So, you’ll no longer have problems even following a group conversation with people who speak multiple languages. Everyone will be able to see their own transcriptions on both screens while speaking face to face.
More languages for Live Caption and Live Transcribe
Live Caption is a tool that generates real-time subtitles for multimedia content in all apps. It is now receiving support for new languages. The list includes Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Turkish, and Vietnamese. These languages will also be available for Live Transcribe in offline mode. In fact, Live Transcribe now supports up to 15 languages without an internet connection. With internet access, it supports up to 120 languages.
