Google has unleashed a pretty major update for its Google Translate app, and it adds quite a few things users will find of interest. Most importantly, it adds the ability to translate text from pictures, and it only requires that you snap an image and highlight the text you want to translate with your finger. Google takes care of the rest after that, but it should be noted that this feature requires an Internet connection to work, so it may not be a good idea to translate every sign you see while globetrotting unless you’ve got access to a Wi-Fi network.

Another to thing to note is that this functionality is only available with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and higher. If you’re using an older version of Android, we’re sorry to say that you’re being left out in the cold with this one. This image translate feature is joining Google Translate’s support for 64 languages, 17 of which are supported by voice-to-text functionality. Indeed, Google Translate has become quite feature-packed since launch.

Speaking of voice translation, this update also helps improve that feature by adding dialect preferences. The app will now begin automatically translating while you’re typing, and increases support for Japanese characters, adding the ability to recognize multiple characters at once. You can grab it right now from the Google Play Store for the very reasonable price of absolutely nothing.

These additions will undoubtedly be appreciated by those who use Google Translate on a frequent basis, and it makes us pretty excited for the seemingly not-too-distant future. As time goes on, Google Translate will become even more feature-rich, which is definitely something to look forward to. Check out our story timeline below for more posts on Google Translate!

[via SlashGear]