Google has launched two new features for Android phones aimed at helping people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
First up: Live Transcribe is an app that uses a smartphone’s microphone to transcribe speech in real time, letting people with hearing loss read a text version of what was said. It works in 70 different languages. If you want to try it, you’ll need to sign up via the Google Play Store to be notified when it launches to the public.
Secondly: The Sound Amplifier app is designed to improve the clarity of speech around you by filtering out ambient and unwanted noise. Cleverly, it won’t increase the volume of sounds that are already loud. It basically turns your smartphone (and headphones) into a hearing aid. It was first announced in May at Google’s annual developer conference but is available now. It works without an internet connection, unlike Live Transcribe.
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