Testing Live Translation between iOS 26 and Galaxy AI revealed unexpected outcomes for me
In a recent review of new features in iOS 26, the live translation service was compared to Samsung's Galaxy AI. Here's a breakdown of how the two stacked up.
The review, conducted on an iPhone 16 Pro Max running iOS 26 beta and a Galaxy Z Flip 7 running One UI 8 on Android 16, found that iOS 26 delivers translations more promptly than Galaxy AI. However, it stumbled once during the German translation test. To compare the accuracy of the translations, Google Translate was used.
In the German translation test, iOS 26 started translating after a few sentences and overlays the translation over the speaker's voice. On the other hand, Galaxy AI waited until the entire conversation was over to start the translation, making it feel awkward. To get Galaxy AI to start translating earlier, the caller had to pause for a longer period of time.
Live Translation with Galaxy AI does not allow scrolling through the transcript while on an active call, unlike iOS 26. This feature is particularly useful for recognising when a person is on the line versus hold music or automation.
Live Translation in iOS 26 currently supports four languages: Spanish, Portuguese, German, and French. Samsung’s Galaxy AI Live Translate, available since the Galaxy S24 series, supports a broader range of languages, though the exact number was not detailed in the review.
iOS 26 includes a new feature called Live Translation for phone calls, messages, and FaceTime. This integration aims to make communication seamless and multilingual but sometimes results in stop-and-go interactions due to the real-time process. Samsung’s Live Translate, having been available longer in the Galaxy AI suite, tends to be more reliable.
During Spanish translation tests, iOS 26 provided a better user experience by speaking the translation after a few sentences and softening the caller's audio. In the French translation test, the iPhone 16 Pro Max with iOS 26 provided a clearer translation compared to Galaxy AI.
It's worth noting that neither Live Translation service allows saving transcripts while the feature is active. Apple is expected to make necessary tweaks and additions to improve the live translation feature in the final release of iOS 26 later this fall.
In summary, iOS 26’s Live Translate offers solid system-wide integration with high usability but is limited by language options and occasional translation pauses. Galaxy AI’s Live Translate on Samsung devices supports more languages and offers a more polished, reliable experience due to its longer development and broader language support.
- The iPhone 16 Pro Max running iOS 26 supports live translation for smartphones during phone calls, messages, and FaceTime, while Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 runs Galaxy AI that also provides live translation on Android devices.
- Compared to iOS 26, Samsung’s Galaxy AI Live Translate, available since the Galaxy S24 series, supports a broader range of languages for live translation, making it more versatile for multilingual communication.
