Google announces a new way to search, alongside a better look for translating text

Google Search On Phones
(Image credit: Google)

At its 'Search On' conference (September 28), Google announced a bunch of improvements to its services, such as Multisearch which can combine queries into one search, and its Translate feature, which can remove the blurred box of the previous language, as if the poster was always English or another language to begin with for example.

The company has also been announcing a bunch of improvements to its search services at the conference, with better ways to shop for the right product. Alongside this, there's been improvements to Maps and better recommendations for places and businesses.

Google has been slow to adapt it products to the features that Microsoft and Apple have been bringing out lately, with iOS 16 and Windows 11's first major update showcasing LiveText and better accessibility features.

However, Search On was the company's stake in the sand to show just what its apps are capable of, and what it could be to its millions of users in the coming months.

Multisearch and Translate are the big highlights

Google Translate in iOS

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Multisearch allows you to search with an image and a block of text at once, so you can better find the result you need. This is currently rolling out in English globally, alongisde it coming to over 70 languages in the coming months.

With Google Translate, the company is introducing an update that will not only show the translated text, but will erase the previous text, and repaint the background using AI. This results in translated text that looks as though it's always been there without looking out of place, seeming more natural.

Google confirmed to us that this improvement to Translate will arrive later this year, both to iOS and Android devices.

There's been a bunch of improvements that have appealed to users, whether that's Live Captions or gestures for the Apple Watch, but with Multisearch and Translate rolling out to users soon, Google could have an ace up its sleeve.

TOPICS
Daryl Baxter
Software & Downloads Writer

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he's written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider'. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2026. He also has a newsletter called 'Springboard'. He's usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that's about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.

Read more
Three iPhones side-by-side with the Google Lens search feature being shown on each.
Google Lens just got a time-saving upgrade on your iPhone – here’s how it works
Google AI Mode
Google previews AI Mode for search, taking on the likes of ChatGPT search and Perplexity
ChatGPT search on a laptop.
What is ChatGPT search: everything you need to know about the AI search tool
Google Meet create custom backgrounds
More AI features are coming to Google Workspace
Text to speech
Universal translators are tantalizing close as Facebook's Meta reveals its tech can translate between 101 languages
DeepL
What is DeepL? Everything we know about the best AI translation service
Latest in Search Engines
Perplexity search on a laptop.
How to replace Google Search with Perplexity AI
Google Learn About
Google Learn About is the patient teacher with a bag full of tricks we all wanted as kids
Bing
Microsoft is so desperate for people to drop Google for Bing it’s offering a $1 million reward
ChatGPT Search
I tried ChatGPT Search and now I might never Google again
Google AI Overviews
Google’s AI Overviews are now available to help a billion people avoid reading full articles
A person holding an iPhone close to the camera with the Google search homepage displayed onscreen
Judge rules Google has illegal search monopoly and you might not like what comes next
Latest in News
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Samsung's rumored smart specs may be launching before the end of 2025
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The latest iPhone 18 leak hints at a major chipset upgrade for all four models
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #1155)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #386)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #652)
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 23 (game #1154)