Speaking and reading messages in foreign languages has become much easier in recent years thanks to apps such as Google Translate.

But it can prove time-consuming switching between apps on your mobile to translate a review on a travel website, for example.

Now Google has updated its Translate app to allow it to operate within apps such as TripAdvisor and WhatsApp, meaning no more switching back and forwards to translate text.

Google has updated its Translate app to allow it to operate within apps such as WhatsApp (demonstrated left), and TripAdvisor (right) meaning no more switching back and forwards between apps to translate messages

In a blog post, Barak Turovsky, product lead, Google Translate, writes: ‘We face communication barriers every day. Switching back and forth between apps and screens to translate shouldn’t be another one.

‘We’ve heard your feedback, and have worked with the Android team to make translating text, chats, and other app content a whole lot easier.

‘Beginning this week, you’ll be able to translate in 90 languages right from within some of your favourite apps like TripAdvisor, WhatsApp and LinkedIn.’

In the post, Google showed how the tool works within WhatsApp, to instantly translate a message from one of 90 languages to another, or translate a review in TripAdvisor.

Google revealed that more than 500 million people translate over 100 billion words a day on Google Translate, which added ‘conversation mode’ (shown above in a demonstration) in January of this year

It’s hoped developers will enable the function on more apps using Android text selection, meaning inaccessible cookery apps may take off in new countries or foreign newspapers could be easier to read, for example.

The feature will be available for Android users who update to the latest operating system – Android Marshmallow.

Google's Nexus handsets have, or will get the update shortly, with other relatively new Android phones by a range of manufacturers expected to get it in the coming months.

WORD LENS APP TRANSLATES USING A PHONE'S CAMERA Word Lens uses augmented reality to translate text including road signs, menus, newspapers, and more by pointing a phone’s camera towards it. Supported languages include Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese. Google bought the technology by acquiring California-based developers Quest Visual in May last year. Available on iOS, Android and Google Glass, users choose the language they want to translate to and from, before holding a camera up to text, such as a road sign or menu. Word Lens automatically translates the text and overlays it on the same image on the phone's display. Advertisement

The blog explains that users will need to have the Translate app downloaded to their handset.

Once they have, they can simply visit a compatible app and highlight and select text to see the translate option.

Google revealed that more than 500 million people translate over 100 billion words a day on Google Translate, which added ‘conversation mode’ in January.

Conversation Mode allows iOS and Android users to talk to the app and get a written translation of what they're saying, in real time, on the screen.

The app also has a Word Lens tool, which lets people use camera mode to take a photo of text and get a translation in 36 languages.

Users can point their camera at a sign or text and see the translated text overlaid the screen - even if they don't have a data connection.

This instant translation currently works for translation from English to and from French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish, and in January, Google said it is working to expand to more languages.

Android Marshmallow will replace Lollipop, which is currently run by many of the latest Android handsets.