Our smartphones play a big part in shaping the way we communicate with each other in the modern world. We still call and text the old-fashioned way, but video calling, conferencing and chat apps have become just as essential to our work, education, family and social lives. We rely on them now more than ever before.

However, for people that are deaf or hard-of-hearing, some apps and functions are more inclusive and easier to use than others. While traditional calling may not be the best solution, instant messaging makes it easy to speak in real time via text, and video calls mean you can chat using sign language and lipreading. But how can your phone help you when you’re in a face-to-face conversation if you’re hard-of-hearing?

Convert spoken words to text instantly

Picture the scene: You’re browsing in a shop asking and something catches your eye. You ask the shop assistant about it but you can’t hear what they’re saying. Without hearing what they say, how do you know it’s the right item for you? Will you know how to use it? And why shouldn’t you have the same great shopping experience as everyone else?

That’s where Google Live Transcribe comes in. Developed with Gallaudet University, the USA’s leading deaf and hard-of-hearing university, this app picks up the conversation around you and transcribes it onto your phone’s screen instantly. It’s like adding subtitles to real, live chat.

Just open the Live Transcribe app when you’re chatting to someone and it’ll pick up on the conversation straight away, storing it for three days (and you can always copy and paste transcripts into your notes). That way, you can get the most out of every chat.

It’s not just about specific scenarios, though. Live Transcribe is super-useful in everyday conversations, whether you’re in a meeting, speaking to a cashier or catching up with mates.

In groups, being unable to understand what everyone’s chatting about can be alienating. With this app, you can read what they’re saying, the moment they say it. It even picks up on pauses and interjections, adding the punctuation as it goes.

As face masks become part of the ‘new normal’, live transcription can be a vital alternative to lipreading for those with hearing loss.

Be a part of the conversation

Communication isn’t a one-way thing. Live Transcribe makes it easy for you to get involved in the chat in a number of ways. You can type responses and so that the person you’re talking to can read them, and there’s a little sound indicator to gauge how loudly your friends are speaking compared to the environment around you. So, you can adjust your volume to the perfect level when you speak.

But that’s not all. You can add your name to the settings so that your phone vibrates whenever someone calls your name, and you can add custom words like pet names and household objects to make transcriptions personalised and accurate. Smart.

Google Live Transcribe recognises over 80 languages, and is clever enough to pick up on all kinds of regional accents and dialects. You can quickly switch between two languages, which is handy if you’re in a multi-lingual group. It even notes specific sounds around you, from clapping and whistling to windy weather. That’s ideal for keeping alert to sound events around you.

And when you shop in at Currys, our in-store colleagues are more than happy to help you with Live Transcribe. So, if you’re hard-of-hearing, or find face coverings a little tricky to chat through, you’ll still get an unbeatable customer experience in our stores. We’re on hand to demonstrate our tech, talk you through the features and help you make a top choice.

Google Live Transcribe is available for free download on the Google Play Store.