Earlier last month, Google released wireless earbuds to listen to music and use audio control for calls, texts, and search capabilities. Oh, and it also translates languages. If you’re stunned by how amazing this is, don’t worry, so are we.
By using Google Translate, the Pixel Buds can help you translate languages in real time with your Google Assistant. At the moment, it can translate up to 40 languages in real time (check out the live demo). For the the business person, or the wanderlust traveler, this is a step forward.
But more importantly, is this something Google can use to their advantage besides connecting the world?
While it’s amazing that business negotiations can happen without a translator if one is not available, this is far bigger than using it when you’re in a bind. Google can use this to possibly target ads and tailor search results based on the conversations you have or, maybe, when you ask the assistant “Help me speak Japanese.” Suddenly, your ad experience is tailored to either travelling to Japan or learning Japanese. Maybe you have a conversation about Japanese food and then Google Maps makes it a point to accentuate the Japanese restaurants that are near you or within your route.
This would be huge for marketing if the algorithm works that way. While it’s all currently in theory, it wouldn’t be so surprising for the search guru to make it happen. Maybe in the future, you can tailor AdWords Campaigns for this very thing. Between this and Google Assistant, it may be another way for Google to tailor user-specific results and, from a marketing perspective, this is genius.