Android: A World of Language Support
In the 9 years since Google acquired Android, it has grown to be the world’s most popular mobile operating system (OS). To achieve this, the Google Android team developed language support features so that Android OS-based phones fully function in the language of the user’s choice.
Market Share and Language Support
Below is a pie chart showing the percentage of the world that uses Android:
Worldwide Smart Mobile Device Market Share – Q1 2013
Data by Canalys
The list of languages currently supported by Android are:
| Language | Code |
| · Afrikaans | · af |
| · Amharic | · am |
| · Bulgarian | · bg |
| · Catalan | · ca |
| · Chinese (PRC) | · zh-CN |
| · Chinese (Taiwan) | · zh-TW |
| · Croatian | · hr |
| · Czech | · cs |
| · Danish | · da |
| · Dutch | · nl |
| · English (UK) | · en-GB |
| · English (US) | · en-US |
| · Estonian | · et |
| · Filipino | · fil |
| · Finnish | · fi |
| · French (Canada) | · fr-CA |
| · French (France) | · fr-FR |
| · German | · de |
| · Greek | · el |
| · Hindi | · hi |
| · Hungarian | · hu |
| · Indonesian | · id / in |
| · Italian | · it |
| · Japanese | · ja |
| · Korean | · ko |
| · Latvian | · lv |
| · Lithuanian | · lt |
| · Malay | · ms |
| · Norwegian | · no |
| · Polish | · pl |
| · Portuguese (Brazil) | · pt-BR |
| · Portuguese (Portugal) | · pt-PT |
| · Romanian | · ro |
| · Russian | · ru |
| · Serbian | · sr |
| · Slovak | · sk |
| · Slovenian | · sl |
| · Spanish (Latin America) | · es-419 |
| · Spanish (Spain) | · es-ES |
| · Swahili | · sw |
| · Swedish | · sv |
| · Thai | · th |
| · Turkish | · tr |
| · Ukrainian | · uk |
| · Zulu | · zu |
Source: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/table/4419860?hl=en
Future Plans
In June, Google mentioned they are close to releasing a multilingual feature that will allow users of an Android OS device to easily switch between languages using Google Now search. When this becomes available, the feature will allow users to select as many as 7 different languages for various phone functions and applications. You could perform a search in one language, run an application in another and look up your contacts in yet another language, all without having to re-set any settings between use of the apps or functions.
I have an Android phone and will only have a need for one language at a time but, I have many polyglot friends who will likely use this feature daily once it is a released. Today, many families speak multiple languages in their homes and would like the ability to use their mobile devices in multiple languages to play a game online with others, use various social media applications and browse the web.
When considering localization of applications for mobile devices, it is not only the people in a target country that may benefit and seek use of the localized app. Many of the native speakers who have migrated to other countries will also use their phones in multiple languages.
Conclusion
Android is an excellent mobile operating system with strong language support. It is great that they are continuing to expand the language features and capabilities. If you are a mobile application developer with an interest in supporting mobile users globally or a mobile user looking to use your phone in a language other than English, you should feel confident that Android is a platform that can support your needs in almost every market in the world today.
Mobile application translation or localization is typically an affordable option for many start-ups, rather than the cost for an enterprise or PC-based application, as it will have much less text to translate. Here is a link to a GPI blog to provide tips on what to consider when creating a mobile app with localization in mind: What to consider for Mobile Application Localization.
Additional Resources from GPI
Globalization Partners International (GPI) has developed a suite of globalization tools to achieve internationalization. You can explore them under the Tools sections of our Translation Services. GPI also offers internationalization and globalization consulting services and can evaluate your application. Partnering with GPI before you localize or translate your application will ensure that you avoid many mistakes and will also save you considerable time and money on your localization projects.
For more information about mobile application translation and localization please check our services and blogs:
