The Google Pixel 4 lineup comes with a whole host of cool features, many of which are slated to find their way to older Pixel devices going forward. One such feature is a unique recorder app that Google has now officially confirmed will come to older Pixel devices through a future software update. The app, currently unique to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, can transcribe audio to text locally and in real-time, without needing an internet connection.
The news was confirmed by Google via its official Reddit account, while answering a question from a Redditor who claimed to be a Pixel 3XL user. It’s not immediately clear if the app will be available on all older Pixel devices, or if it will be restricted to only the Pixel 3 and 3a lineups.
Google says that the new Recorder app in the Pixel 4 brings the power of search and AI to audio recording. Basically, it can convert anything you speak into the Pixel 4’s microphone into text in real time. According to the company, the app “automatically transcribes speech and tags sounds like music, applause, and more, so you can search your recordings to quickly find the part you’re looking for”. The entire process happens offline, which means your audio never leaves your phone.
The feature is currently only available in English, but Google says it will be available in more languages soon. The app is officially only available on the Pixel 4, but it can be installed on other Android devices as well, and you can do that by installing this APK on your smartphone. Do note, however, that while the basic recording feature may be working on all devices, the actual transcription feature seems to be hit or a miss, going by posts on Reddit and online social media.
