Swiftkey for Android has come a long way from being an alternative keyboard to a mish-mash of features that not everyone might want/need. All the unnecessary bloat aside, I still prefer it over the likes of Gboard and Samsung Keyboard. It has remained more or less the same even after its acquisition by Microsoft earlier this year. Today, the keyboard gets yet another feature that not everyone might need but is good to have at hand. SwiftKey’s gets integration with Microsoft Translator, allowing you to quickly translate on your SwiftKey Keyboard, without having to leave your in-app conversations or having to copy and paste text to translate.
Following the update, Swiftkey can translate up to 60 languages. Microsoft hasn't specified the list of languages yet, but we'll know about them once the update rolls out. The intent behind such an integration is to make conversations stay fast and natural. The feature can also be used offline provided you have Microsoft Translator installed on your device.
It's too early to draw conclusions about how it may or may not work, but I'll be sure to update the article once I use it for a bit. In many instances machine-based translation ends up tad inaccurate, often ending in hilarious results. I don't have my hopes set too high, but the endeavour should be fun nonetheless. There is no mention of when the update will be rolled out, so keep an eye out for it.
News Source: Swiftkey
