Google’s “Unknown” app surpasses 10 billion downloads from Play Store

When talking about apps from google browserGmail, Drive, and Meet are quickly remembered by people, but there are other programs from the company that are just as popular, even if you don’t know them. This is because many Android services require these programs to be installed to work, so your phone downloads them from the web store without any fuss. One such case is the speech service (Google Voice Services, in Portuguese), which today has crossed the incredible mark of 10 billion downloads on Play Store.

Although not an app in the traditional sense of the term, it is such a staple of the Voice-to-Text platform that it was known as Google Text-to-Speech even before its latest update on September 23, 2021. In addition to the name, the icon has been changed to align with the company’s new visual identity and has gained some new features.

What are Google Voice Services?

Google Voice Services supports 67 languages, which even includes regional dialects, as well as integration with Google speech services. It not only converts text to speech, but also helps apps with the reverse function of converting voice to text – you can find its functions within the accessibility area of ​​the device by selecting the TalkBack option.

Since it comes bundled with Google Mobile Services, this gives “app” status with so many downloads, after all, every time someone installs Android, they have to download it. When the TalkBack service is enabled, it is possible to make various settings to adjust its functionality according to the user’s need, which includes downloading speech data and offline use.

It has been in the Play Store since 2013 and integrated into the system, it is impossible to completely uninstall the program from your cell phone. Although it is not a feature that everyone uses, unlike the popular Google Maps, Which hit a similar mark recentlyGoogle Voice is an essential part of building a more comprehensive and inclusive operating system, even for people who are visually impaired, illiterate, or some other type of reading difficulty.

Source: Google Play Store