Back in the 1980s, I recorded phone interviews by connecting a tape recorder to the back of my analog handset via a little black suction cup. These days, virtually all my interviews are conducted via Zoom or Google Meet; but while both are capable of recording and transcription, for convenience I still like to record on my iPhone, and lately I’ve been using a little-known Notes feature.
While some of you might know about the recording feature on the best iPhones (hidden under the paperclip ‘Attachment’ icon), you may not realize that since iOS 18, Notes has also been able to automatically transcribe the conversation. Even when conducting a video interview, I’ll place the iPhone near my laptop and let it record the audio conversation while I talk freely and don’t get too distracted (or distract my subject) by furiously typing.
With all the text available on screen, I can tap any word to jump to that exact moment in the conversation. This is critical since the transcription is not always 100% accurate. And there’s another crucial reason for checking the tape.
If Note’s transcription capabilities stumble in one significant way, it’s in identifying speakers; basically, it does not.
It’s a problem when you’re interviewing one person, and it’s even worse when you have a small group. Obviously, I can always re-listen to the audio and self-label. In fact, this is exactly what I’ve done when I record with the iPhone’s Notes app. It’s also why, when I can, I choose a different mobile recording and transcription tool and platform.
Android’s free Voice Recorder is available on virtually every modern Android handset, including all the best Google Pixel Phones, Samsung Galaxy S25 line, and the foldables like my Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Not only is the recording generally as accurate, if not moreso than iPhone Notes, but it can identify multiple speakers. Granted, those speakers are not named – they’re called “Speaker 1”, “Speaker 2”, “Speaker 3”, and so on – but Voice Recorder keeps it consistent and makes it easier for me to scan the transcription and find key quotes and details from any one of my subjects. Also, like Notes, I can tap on any word to play that part of the recording and verify the transcription and my notes.
Also, like Notes, my Galaxy Z Fold 7 can use Galaxy AI to summarize the recording. It’s a more organized and comprehensive summary, at that.
Not everyone has more than one phone, let alone a platform to rely on, and for most people, I bet the iPhone Notes transcription will be good enough. Plus, I fully expect Apple to add subject identification and upgrade its AI summary capabilities in iOS 27. At least I hope they do.
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