Apple’s new software tools make it easier for third-party developers to add translation capabilities to their iPhone and iPad apps powered by the system.
Apple’s new Translation framework will enable compatible apps to translate text from one language to another, provide inline translation and translate a batch of text.
A social networking app might offer translation of foreign-language comments into the user’s default language. A shopping app could translate product descriptions with a tap. Of course, developers will need to update their apps before you could enjoy in-app translations powered by the Translation framework.
Third-party iPhone apps can use Apple Translate services
Apple’s WWDC24 session video explains that the Translation framework doesn’t support every combination of languages. This is a limitation of the framework because Apple’s own Translate app suffers from the identical drawback.
The framework uses on-device machine learning models that are shared with all apps, including stock Apple apps like Translate, Messages and Camera.
The Translate framework supports all the same languages as the Translate app.
Apple’s machine translation team has been on a roll in the past few years, regularly enhancing systemwide translation services in iOS, iPadOS and macOS. You can already get a translation sheet over any app on the system, and the Camera app can translate text found in images and the world around you.
Introducing the Translation API
The Translation framework and API are available for iPhone, iPad and Mac apps compiled with at least iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4 and macOS 14.4 in mind. The translated text will appear in a Translate sheet that swooshes into view from the bottom edge.
But iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sonoma improve this feature by permitting translation to appear in-line with other text within an app.
iOS 18 will release publicly in the fall
iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sonoma won’t arrive before the fall, so don’t expect your favorite apps to gain iOS 18-powered in-line translation until they drop.
If you frequently travel to foreign countries, you may want to learn how to set up the Action button on your iPhone to translate words and sentences into another language with a quick press of the Action button.