Roger Fingas
Facebook-owned Instagram on Wednesday launched a cosmetic overhaul of its iOS apps, while Google updated its Translate app with support for offline translation in 52 languages.
All of Instagram's apps now have "flat" icon designs, better matching the look of recent versions of iOS, which have veered away from skeuomorphism. Aside from the company's flagship, the other updated titles include Boomerang, Hyperlapse, and Layout. Boomerang is used to create quick looping videos, while Layout builds collages.
Only the core Instagram app has seen its actual interface altered. The new arrangement is not only flat but black and white, something meant to draw more attention to photos and videos in a user's news feed.
Until today the app's icon evoked old "toy" cameras, famous for their visual effects due to bad construction and/or the film they used.
Google Translate
Although Google has not specified which 52 languages it's referring to, the updated language support should make Translate far more useful for iPhone and iPad owners when traveling, since cellular and Wi-Fi can be expensive — or non-existent — when roaming in some countries.
The app has meanwhile gained another 13 languages in general for a total of 103, and camera translation from Chinese to English (and vice versa), including simplified and traditional Chinese forms. This means that users can simply point a camera at text and the app will attempt to translate it in front of them.
Google Translate is a free download, and requires iOS 8 or later. For offline support, any desired languages must be downloaded in-app.
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Malcolm Owen
Andrew Orr
William Gallagher
Sponsored Content
8 Comments
I thought hyperlapse was a Microsoft thing
Camera based English<-->Chinese totally not working in the updated app.
Edit: It turns out that downloading the offline translation data for camera based Chinese translation is a requirement rather than an option.
Eww
Current new icon isn't attractive or strong.
Love the new Instagram icon's "three circles" look.
Small "viewfinder" dot, central "lens," blurred circle in lower left.
Skeuomorphism is such a 2012 dead-end.