Google developing a paid version of Translate API

One of the best Google APIs and one of the few services I use is the translation service. A lot of the press releases that I run across during the day are in a different language and need to be translated so I can understand them. I think we can all agree that often the translations leave more than a little to be desired and can be confusing, but it is certainly better than not being able to read them at all. Google had said on Friday that it was killing off third party access to its translation engine.

That would mean that we would still be able to use that toolbar, but if you access the translation service through another app you would lose that access. Apparently, users of third party programs cried foul enough that Google has changed its mind. The search giant has announced that it will be working on a paid version of the app that will allow continued third party access if the company behind the third party app.

Google's Adam Feldman wrote in a blog post last week, "Deprecating the Translate API was the hardest choice for us to make — we're excited about the global web, and about helping developers and webmasters anywhere reach audiences everywhere. We continue to invest in our Translate offerings, including the Google Translate web element. But the Translate API was subject to extensive abuse — the vast majority of usage was in clear violation of our terms. The painful part of turning off this API is that we recognize it affects some legitimate usage as well, and we're sorry about that."

[via AllThingsD]