Microsoft's Office app for Android is getting a new feature today - the ability to record voice captures with live transcription. The update only seems to be available for users enrolled in the beta program on the Google Play Store, and it comes with version 16.0.14026.20172 of the app.
Voice capture is a fairly straightforward feature. You can access it from the big "+" icon at the bottom of the app screen, and from there, you can simply start recording by tapping the microphone button. Recordings are transcribed live by default and can then be saved in audio format along with the transcription. The app can also recognize different speakers and separate the dialog for each speaker in the transcription. Should there be any errors in the transcription, it's also possible to edit the text after the fact.
This feature seems to build on the work Microsoft has already done on voice-related features, such as Transcribe for Word, which launched last summer. The Office mobile app has become a hub for many of Microsoft's smart Office features, too, making it an increasingly versatile tool. The app first launched last year and in addition to bringing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint together, it integrates tools like Microsoft Lens (formerly Office Lens), Forms, and local wireless file sharing. It can also access your sticky notes and open PDF files.
If you haven't yet, you can download the Office app for Android here, and there's also an iOS version available on the App Store.
