California: Google Meet is rolling out a new real‑time speech translation feature for users on Android and iOS. The update allows people in meetings to hear spoken conversations translated into another language almost instantly.
The feature was first introduced on the web and is now expanding to mobile devices. Google says the goal is to make meetings easier for users who speak different languages, especially in global and cross‑border conversations.
With this update, users no longer need to rely only on captions or post‑meeting transcripts. Instead, they can listen to translated speech as someone talks, making discussions feel more natural and easier to understand.
At launch, Google Meet supports translation between English and five languages, namely Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Italian. Translation works in both directions, that is to say, users can switch between English and one other language during a meeting. However, only one language pair can be active at a time. For example, a meeting can support English‑to‑Spanish translation, but not multiple languages at once.
Google noted that in meetings using conference room hardware, participants will be able to hear translated speech but their own spoken words will not be translated for others. This limitation may change as the feature evolves. The company said the translation tool is still being improved. Future updates are expected to enhance accuracy, tone, and overall audio quality, helping conversations sound more natural.
For businesses, the speech translation feature will be enabled by default. Organisations can manage it through admin controls and turn it on or off at the organisational unit level if needed. Individual users, on the other hand, will be able to access the feature directly within Google Meet once it becomes available for their account. No additional setup is required.
Availability is currently limited. The feature is rolling out to select Google Workspace plans, including Business Standard, Enterprise Standard, Plus and Frontline Plus. It is also available for individual users on Google AI Pro and Ultra plans.
The rollout is happening in phases. Google says Rapid Release domains began receiving the feature on April 8, while Scheduled Release domains started on April 23. It may take up to 15 days for all users to see the feature appear.
Google Meet is not the only platform offering translation tools. Microsoft Teams already provides live captions with translation options, and Zoom offers live transcription and language support through interpreters or integrations. Still, Google’s move brings spoken translation closer to real‑time conversation, which could be especially useful for remote teams, international business meetings, and online education.
As video meetings continue to play a major role in work and collaboration, Google says features like speech translation are meant to reduce language barriers and help people communicate more smoothly across borders.
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