The document discusses localization of iPhone apps. It provides background on Keywords International, a company that provides localization services since 1998. Localization involves adapting applications for different languages and cultures, and the document outlines why it is important (to increase sales and market penetration). It recommends planning for localization from the start of an app's development by using the iPhone SDK's localization features. The document also covers what elements need localization beyond just text, and tips for designing apps to facilitate the localization process.

1. Localization of iPhone Apps
DevDays 2009 – Dublin, April 23
Keywords International
Giacomo Duranti, Chief Operating Officer
gduranti@keywordsintl.com • +353‐1‐5237538
www.keywordsintl.com

2. KEY ‐ DATES
1998 ‐ Keywords International Ltd was founded to provide Localization
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services to the software industry
2004 ‐ Keywords International Ltd decided to work exclusively on Games
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and to cut all non core business lines.
2009 ‐ Keywords International is a leader in video game localization,
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localization testing and linguistic QC.
– Connecting directly to the target audience – no matter what language they
speak.
– Translating and testing in over 30 languages and 8 platforms
– Over 75 employees – hundreds of projects each year
– All services carried out in our facility in Dublin

3. KEY ‐ SERVICES
• Localization
– Translation
– Audio Recording
– Quality Control
• Testing
Testing Scripting
–
Bug Fixing
–
100 Seats State of the Art Testing Lab
–
Compliance testing
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• Language Quality Control
– Linguistic Support
– Terminology Management
– Quality and Geopolitical Assessment

4. PLATFORMS

5. KEY ‐ CUSTOMERS

6. KEY ‐ PROJECTS

7. KEY ‐ PROJECTS

8. WHAT IS LOCALIZATION?
• Internationalization is the process of
designing and building an application to
facilitate localization.
• Localization is the cultural and linguistic
adaptation of an internationalized
application to two or more culturally‐
distinct markets.
• When users launch a well‐localized application,
they should feel fully at home with it and not
feel like it originated from some other country.

9. WHY LOCALIZE?
Increase sales
• Expand the market
– Yes, they don’t speak English.
• Increase the penetration of the product
– Localized products sell better
• ROI can be very good
– iPhone App Store & Favourable factors

10. WHEN & HOW TO LOCALIZE?
• Plan for localization from the start
– Retrofitting an existing application to
support localization is much harder than
writing your application that way from the
start .
• Use the SDK
– iPhone has a robust localization
architecture that lets you easily localize
your application into multiple languages.
And variants of a language...
For en_US it’s LOCALIZATION
For en_GB it’s LOCALISATION

11. WHAT TO LOCALIZE?
Not only text needs localization
• Windows, views, menus must be able to accept
translated text.
• Static text must be translated.
• Images might need to be changed.
• Sound files might need to be changed.
• Dates, times, currencies and numerical values
must be formatted using the current locale
information.
Word wrapping should use current locale rules.
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Sorting must be done based on current locale rules.
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Online help must be translated.
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12. TIPS & TRICKS
Design with localization in mind
• Allow more space
– Translated text is longer than the English
• Be aware of display differences in other
languages
– Asian languages
– Bi‐directional languages
• Beware of sentences constructed by
concatenating strings
• Document the strings file with
comments – provide context

13. CONCLUSIONS
• Plan to localize your Apps
– Plan for localization since the beginning
It’s a small effort – you will be rewarded
• Localize your Apps
– Go global
It’s a small investment – you will be rewarded
• Localize your Apps seriously
– It better be good
– Good is better

14. THANKS!
QUESTIONS?
Email: gduranti@keywordsintl.com
Website: www.keywordsintl.com