Yes for some reason on my tablet although it gives clear speech output you do have to be quite pronounced to get it to pick up what you say offline. It is still handy though on the phone even if the output is only text. strange though that the microphone doesn't seem to pick up as well off line. No doubt they will update it as you say. better than nothing and if you already have a phone free so being a Yorkshireman that's a bonus!

Can you confirm then that the Moto G with downloaded apps and languages will, offline, translate from speech in English to Spanish in text form, accepting issues with pronounciaion and in reverse? Perhaps another dumb question but will the phone connect to a wireless network without a sim in place? Finally, I am sat here looking at my Nokia 6230i with next to it a pocket dictionary, some maps and a compass. Do I really need a smartphone? At the fish market this morning I asked for a Babel fish but there were none. I tried a sardine in my ear but no help with translation!

I have a friend with a moto g so I will ask them the question I will try now if he is on messenger, I am in UK he is in Spain . certainly my old phone will connect to wifi with no sim in it but not sure if that applies to all phones?

One other anomaly re the audio translation off line on my tablet. It will translate from English but when I try Spanish it says no connection for speech input? Go back to English it works? Maybe off line better just using it for typing in what you want translating

Right per my friend with the Moto G . it only does written translation off line.

Ignore above as I don't think he had downloaded the Spanish pack !!!!

No my Moto G android version 4.4.4 will not take speech ofline (text only)
Yes I cannot see why it would not connect to WiFi with no sim.

bobd22, VFR thanks for your feedback on this subject. Have now actually ordered the phone!

Glad I could be of some help