Apple announced today that they have added six (6) new languages in iTunes Connect, including Korean and Simplified Chinese. This will make it easier for iPhone/iPod Touch developers to convert the language in their apps for use in new markets – China, Korea, Brazil, Russia, Sweden and Portugal.
Language conversion is important, but there many angles to consider when readying an app for a foreign market. Developers who have ambitions to take an app “international” may want to consult with a localization pro that is familiar with the target market. For example, iPhoneLocalizer.com, can help developers with all cultural (region specific) and technical aspects of localization, including metadata updates, software QA, and porting apps to Apple’s international App Stores.
Note: iPhonAsia has collaborated with iPhoneLocalizer.com on various translation and research projects.
Here is the text from Apple’s December 10, 2009 PR (thanks to Steve McIntosh for the heads up):
Additional Language Support Now Available in iTunes Connect
With over 50 million users of iPhone and iPod touch in 81 countries around the world, it’s more important than ever to make your app available in a user’s language of choice. You can, and should, create localized versions of your app for each market you sell to. In iTunes Connect, you can customize your app’s metadata, keywords and screenshots for each localized version.
We’ve expanded the list of languages available for localizing your app metadata, adding the following languages (listed along with the matching App Store territory):
- Brazilian Portuguese: Brazil App Store
- Korean: Korea App Store
- Portuguese: Portugal App Store
- Russian: Russia App Store
- Simplified Chinese: China App Store
- Swedish: Sweden App Store
If you have localized your apps, be sure to update the metadata language information for each of your localized versions whenever you update an app. In iTunes Connect, select Edit Application and click on the Localization tab; select the language from the pull-down menu.
