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Google's Voice Search now lets 3rd party apps use offline voice recognition, privacy buffs rejoice

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By Daniel Petrov

Published: Feb 18, 2013, 3:09 AM

Android Apps

Google's Voice Search now lets 3rd party apps use offline voice recognition, privacy buffs rejoice

With the latest update to the Now and Voice Search apps, Google has quietly opened the floodgates for 3rd party apps to use its offline voice recognition tools. This is huge, as it will allow developers to feature voice commands and natural language recognition in their apps without the need for an Internet connection, hence keep your privacy intact.

The possibilities here are endless and only limited by the devs imagination. One of the first apps to take advantage is utter!, which is not new per se, but now features the offline voice recognition, and via a download smaller than 2MB lets you command the phone with your voice without the typical need for data connection. The offline function will only work on Jelly Bean devices and above, of course.

It runs in the background and is made to be very light and available anywhere you are in the interface by shaking the phone, waving or simply pressing a button. The real value in this undertaking is that none of your personal information is uploaded to Google's servers, which is a huge relief for people who regularly use Google Voice Search or Apple's Siri, for instance. In fact, the utter! promo video takes a jab at Siri indeed, so check it our below.

source: XDA-Devs via AA

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.