# ID this smartphone translator app?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-smartphone-translator-app/938851>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 27, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-smartphone-translator-app/938851 "2021-03-27T14:33:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-smartphone-translator-app/938851/1 "2021-03-27T14:33:34Z")

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Last year, I saw someone hold their smartphone over some Korean hangul text and an English translation appeared on the screen. I was impressed, but my crappy iPhone 5s certainly wasn’t supported by any applications that advanced, plus there was a language barrier involved with asking for any details. I finally upgraded this month to an iPhone X, so now I’d like to know: What translator app can do what I described?

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-smartphone-translator-app/938851/2 "2021-03-27T15:10:19Z")

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Google Lens?

> **[Real-time translation, dining features rolling out now to Google Lens](https://www.androidauthority.com/google-lens-translation-dining-text-992191/)**
>
> New Google Lens features are rolling out, including the ability to translate printed text in real time and the ability to see menu items while dining out.

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**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-smartphone-translator-app/938851/3 "2021-03-27T15:14:32Z")

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The Google Translate app can do this.

> **[Your phone's camera can translate languages](https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/use-your-phone-camera-to-translate-languages-on-the-fly/)**
>
> Google Translate's updated camera tool means better translation for you.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-smartphone-translator-app/938851/4 "2021-03-27T15:18:15Z")

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> **[Google can now translate Korean while you watch](https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/google-adds-korean-to-english-visual-translations-in-translate-app/)**
>
> Point your phone at Korean text and watch the words transform into your language of choice.

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-this-smartphone-translator-app/938851/5 "2021-03-27T15:42:34Z")

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Thanks, that was fast!