Google's Pixel Recorder App to Introduce 'Clear Voice' Feature for Enhanced Audio Quality

Pixel Recorder preps a feature that's essentially Audio Magic Eraser on auto mode

Key Takeaways Google's Pixel-exclusive Recorder app may soon prioritize speech in recordings. The upcoming feature will reduce background noise and enhance dialogue quality in recordings. Code found in the app's latest build suggests that the feature will be called 'Clear Voice,' and it will be limited to mono audio with stereo and external mics not supported. ✕ Remove Ads Google's Pixel-exclusive Recorder app, which boasts AI-enabled functionality like summaries, transcriptions, and speaker labeling, might soon gain a key new feature that automatically prioritizes human speech during recordings. The app, which works on Pixel 3 and later released Pixel devices, already allows users to edit recordings, search within transcripts and recordings, automatically detect languages (Pixel 6 and later), back up and view recordings on your Google account, and more. Related Google Recorder has fixed its biggest 'AI summaries' problem, but there's a catch The fix is exclusive to the Pixel 9 series (for now) Posts Now, however, it looks like Google is finally using AI to improve the app's fundamentals. As highlighted by Android Authority, the app's latest build (Version 4.2.20241001.701169069) offers hints at an upcoming functionality, which, as its name suggests, will aim to enhance the quality of dialogue within recordings. ✕ Remove Ads <string name="hdmic_setting_summary"> Reduce background noise while recording for clearer speech playback. External mic and stereo are not supported.</string> <string name="hdmic_setting_title"> Clear voice</string> string name="hdmic_tooltip">Keep human speech and remove background sounds</string> string name="hdmic_tooltip_with_learn_more">Keep human speech and remove background sounds. Learn more in Settings.</string> <string name="not_mono_channel">This action requires mono audio. Please change your audio channels to mono.</string> <string name="off_for_new_recordings">Clear voice is off for new recordings</string> <string name="stereo_clear_voice_off">Clear voice is turned off in stereo mode</string> Strings found within the app clearly indicate that the feature would "reduce background noise while recording," in addition to an option to "keep human speech and remove background sounds." The former appears to be a feature that will run in the background every time you initiate a new recording, while the latter appears to be a post-recording trick to further refine dialogue and reduce background noise -- akin to Audio Magic Eraser within Google Photos. It's worth noting that the feature appears to be limited to mono audio, with stereo and external mics not supported. Also worth noting is that the feature has only been spotted in code, and it remains inaccessible in the app's latest build -- so there might be some tied features that we're currently missing. Regardless, this should be a solid update for users that rely on the app for taking notes, recording interviews, and summarizing/transcribing dialogue in general. ✕ Remove Ads

Google Developing a Noise Cancellation Feature for Pixel Recorder App

The feature may require a server-side component for activation Google is developing a new feature for its native Pixel Recorder app to eliminate background noise and enable clearer speech playback when recording audio on its smartphones, according to a report. It was spotted during an APK teardown of the app for Android. The app is exclusive to Google's Pixel lineup of devices such as the latest Pixel 9 series and offers features such as transcription and speaker labelling, powered by artificial intelligence (AI). In a report, Android Authority, teaming up with Assemble Debug, highlighted that the Clear Voice feature was discovered following an APK teardown of the Recorder app version 4.2.20241001.701169069. As the name suggests, it will suppress the background noise and prioritise spoken content in the vicinity of the handset. The report reveals it is internally referred to as "hdmic" and is turned off by default for the new recordings. Delving into the app's code revealed strings referencing the feature which states, "Reduce background noise while recording for clearer speech playback." However, there are a few caveats. For starters, it uses the phone's internal microphone and will not work with external mics. Further, it does not have support for stereo and only support mono audio. The feature is reported to be inactive at the moment and even sideloading the latest version of the Recorder app for Pixel devices does not seem to activate it. It is said to require a server-side component for activation. In June, Google announced a new update for the Recorder app which introduced a shortcut for the home screen. It appears as a red circle on a white background, matching the larger floating action button (FAB). The new Record shortcut can now be placed on the home screen to quickly start a recording. Its arrival is said to provide a boost to the live transcription capabilities by bringing quick access to it.