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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Apple Intelligence can transcribe your voice memos totally free.
- The transcriptions are straightforward to entry and pretty correct.
- The Otter.ai various is $17 per 30 days.
If you hear of AI options on smartphones, you usually consider the flashiest, agentic AI options that might perform duties for you with out you having to elevate a finger. Nevertheless, I’m a agency believer that the litmus check as as to if an AI function is value it ought to be whether or not it’s returning actual worth to your life, whether or not that be time or cash, and in one of the best case, each. This transcription function in Voice Memos does simply that.
As a reporter, my job includes recording interviews. These interviews require transcribing to not solely make it simpler to tug quotes but in addition to parse via prolonged interviews. Ever since undergrad, I’ve relied on companies resembling Otter.ai, which additionally got here in useful for different makes use of, resembling transcribing conferences, lectures, and conferences.
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That mentioned, the Apple Intelligence Voice Memo transcription function solved a significant concern I had with the transcription service, and I’m probably by no means going again — and here is why you should not both if you’re an Apple consumer who values a bang in your buck.
Otter.ai jail
Earlier than I clarify what makes the Apple intelligence function so good, I want to elucidate the most important concern with its extra widespread competitor, Otter.ai. The transcription service used AI to supply high-quality transcriptions lengthy earlier than the expertise exploded in reputation.
Whereas Otter.ai has a free subscription tier, it solely permits three lifetime audio/video file imports and 300 month-to-month minutes, that are straightforward to fly via for those who’re utilizing it frequently, as one assembly, interview, or lecture alone could be 60 minutes lengthy.
Nevertheless, I used to be keen to take care of that, as more often than not, I simply logged on from totally different emails each time I hit a restrict, and the transcriptions have been principally correct, with a handy and simple interface.
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Being despatched to Otter.ai jail was my final straw.
Primarily, if you’re on a free plan, Otter.ai solely allows you to view your 25 most up-to-date conversations. Any older conversations over 25 are archived and inaccessible. That is particularly problematic if, like me, you require entry to your recordings months later, both for sophistication, learning, or an article.
The worst half is that you may’t export the audio, even for those who recorded it within the app. The one strategy to entry it’s to improve to Otter Professional for $17 per 30 days. As soon as that occurred, I knew I needed to discover an alternate: Apple’s Voice Memo.
Apple Voice Memo Transcriptions (and the right way to entry)
Since my day by day driver is an iPhone 16 Professional, I already document most of my voice memos on the app. From overlaying Apple Intelligence extensively, I knew there was a transcription possibility, so I made a decision to provide it a attempt.
After months of utilizing it, I’ve discovered the transcriptions to be correct. Most significantly, not solely is it free to entry, however this can be very straightforward to take action natively with out having to export recordsdata. All you want is iOS 18.0 or in a while an iPhone 12 or later, which makes it one in every of Apple’s extra accessible options. The broader suite of Apple’s AI options is offered solely to telephones with the A17 Professional chip or greater, which incorporates the iPhone 15 Professional or later.
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Then, to entry the transcripts, click on on the icon that appears like a citation mark inside a thought bubble whereas recording to see a stay transcript. Or, you possibly can see the textual content after the very fact. Like with Otter.ai, for those who click on on the textual content, it’s going to play the corresponding audio, which I usually do to confirm the accuracy of the transcription or seize some phrases it could have missed.
Whereas it lacks some instruments that Otter.ai has, resembling the flexibility to focus on or add feedback, you possibly can choose content material and duplicate it to a different app or doc, and you can too select to repeat your complete transcript and import it elsewhere. I’ve completed this earlier than and imported it right into a Google Doc in order that I can extra simply spotlight or make notes. The very best half is understanding that my audio messages should not going to be locked behind a paywall at any time.
If you’d like step-by-step directions on the right way to provoke a recording within the Voice Memos app or the right way to entry the transcripts, you possibly can observe Apple’s step-by-step guide. However as talked about above, the method is fairly intuitive.
My favourite a part of this function? A reminder that AI options could be easy to be good.
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