Last month, Microsoft's Skype unveiled a program for real-time translation of human speech. Now, it seems we'll soon be seeing Google's version.

Google has said it's working on a system for "near-perfect" translation

The New York Times reports that Google is about to release an updated version of its Google Translate app for Android. The update will include a system that automatically recognizes speech in popular languages and changes it into text. To be sure, the Translate app can already translate speech — but this update could be much more. As far back as July 2013, Google was saying an upcoming version would be able to deliver delay-free, "near perfect" translations, something few apps — including current Google offerings — could reasonably claim.

That might not be all we soon see, either. The Times also notes Google will be releasing "a service that enables you to hold your phone up to a foreign street sign and create an automatic translation on the screen."