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Last updated on: March 5, 2025

Android OTA Translation: Revolutionizing Software Localization

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This AI generated Text-to-Speech widget generated by Reverie Vachak.

Google’s flagship operating system (OS) Android has the biggest pie of the smartphone OS market at 72.04%. Android’s adaptability with a wide range of handset manufacturers is what makes it a market leader in the smartphone OS arena. Given Android’s global reach there is a pressing need for Android localization services. Wondering what’s the possible connection between the popularity of Android and localization of apps? Lets take a deep dive.

An average smartphone user has 30 apps installed on their phone. China and India take the lead when it comes to revenue generation through apps and a majority of these users use Android handsets and prefer using apps available in their native language. This clearly underscores the importance of building multilingual Android apps to cater to a wider audience, an English-only app simply does not make the desired impact. Localizing your Android app to resonate with audiences from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds is the key to stay ahead of the curve. However, apps are updated quite frequently and real-time Android translation can be a challenge.

But nothing is impossible in this ever-evolving technology world. One such technology that is transforming the way Android updates are delivered and translated is the Android over-the-air (OTA) translation. It has proved to be a game changer for both the developer community and the user with regards to software localization for Android.

Understanding Android OTA Translation

OTA means over the air distribution of translation updates for Android devices. Typically translating content on your Android app in multiple languages would require a lot of manual effort and time. Also, every time the app’s static content is updated it would mean releasing a new version of the app and the user downloading the latest version of the app for changes to get reflected at the end users end. Static content refers to the content stored in a users app memory, few examples include header and footer content, few CTAs, some specific terminologies. But with Android OTA translation an OTA language pack SDK is embedded into the app. Now, there are two scenarios to this:

Scenario 1: Whenever the app is updated all language-related updates automatically get updated and changes in static content are automatically reflected in the users app on their Android device in the language they are using the app. 

Scenario 2: Using an OTA SDK of a language-localization platform like Anuvadak by Reverie translation can be done seamlessly. All translation updates done in Anuvadak in local languages will automatically get synced in the users app in real time.

Android OTA Translation with Anuvadak

Reverie Language Technologies, a pioneer in building cutting edge language localization platforms has done a great deal of research and development in the language technology realm. Reverie’s Anuvadak is a cutting-edge platform facilitating seamless OTA Android localisation services. Here again there can be 2 scenarios:

Scenario 1: A new update in the app

Whenever the app is updated all language-related updates automatically get synced with Anuvadak and changes in static content are automatically reflected in the users app on their Android device in the language they are using the app. 

Scenario 2: A translation change in Anuvadak

All translation updates done in Anuvadak in local languages will automatically get synced in the users app in real time, the moment the user opens the app.

The purpose of Anuvadak SDK Android integration is to read the Strings.xml file in the Android application to retrieve static string content, and then translate these strings using Anuvadak. Translation updates are received every time the app is opened or the locale is changed. This simplifies the process of managing translated strings within an Android application.

Step-by-step integration for Android OTA translation using Anuvadak

Before you begin the integration keep the following in mind:

  • Ensure the default Strings.xml file is present with the English locale
  • Minimum SDK version 21 (Lollipop) is required for features used by the SDK
  • Anuvadak’s SDK is compatible with the below versions:
    • Kotlin version 1.8.10 or above
    • appcompat version 1.1.0 or above

Basic integration steps:

Step 1: Integrate the AAR file of the Anuvadak SDK provided by Reverie.

Step 2: Ensure you have obtained a valid Anuvadak Project App-ID to use the SDK.

Step 3: Place the SDK file in the libs folder.

Step 4: Add the following line to your build.gradle file:

Implementation files (“libs/anuvadak_sdk.aar”)

Once the above code is added the integration codes for Kotlin and Java vary. Let’s walk through the integration process for both.

Kotlin Integration

Step 1: Initializing the SDK 

Add the following snippet to the Application class of your app for initialization. Use the valid App-ID that you have received from Reverie Language Technologies Limited.

import android.content.res.Resources
import com.reverie.anuvadak.Anuvadak


class App : Application() {
    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()

        Anuvadak.init(VALID_AVK_APP_ID, this)
      
    }

    override fun getResources(): Resources {
        return Anuvadak.wrapResources(this, super.getResources())
    }

}

Next, add the following snippet to your  base activity

private lateinit var appCompatDelegate: AppCompatDelegate
   
    override fun getDelegate(): AppCompatDelegate {
        if (!::appCompatDelegate.isInitialized) {
            appCompatDelegate = Anuvadak.getDelegate(
                super.getDelegate(),
                this
            )
        }
        return appCompatDelegate
    }

 

Step 2: Updating the Locale on Runtime

To update the locale with the latest strings from Anuvadak for a specific language, use the following code snippet:

Anuvadak.updateLocals(activityContext, Locale(“hi”, “IN”))

In this example, we are changing the locale to Hindi.

Step 3: Receiving Callbacks 

To Receive callbacks for updating locale use the following code

Note : You need to reset the manual adapter

Anuvadak.setListener(object : AnuvadakListener {
            override fun onError(error: String) {
                Log.e(TAG, “onError: $error“)
            }

            override fun onStringsUpdated() {
                Log.i(TAG, “onStringsUpdated: completed”)

//          sample adapter reset

                adapter = ArrayAdapter<String>(
                    baseContext,
                    android.R.layout.simple_dropdown_item_1line,
                    resources.getStringArray(R.array.string_array)
                )

                adapter.setNotifyOnChange(true)
                adapter.notifyDataSetChanged()


                spinner?.adapter = adapter
//            langSpinner?.adapter = langAdapter
                displayQuantityString()
            }

            override fun onNoUpdateRequired() {
                TODO(“Not yet implemented”)
            }

            override fun onDynamicTranslationResult(jsonString: String) {
//                TODO(“Not yet implemented”)
            }
        })

JAVA Integration

Step 1: Initializing the SDK 

Add the below code to the Application class of your app for initialization. Use the valid App-ID that you have received from Reverie Language Technologies Limited.

public class App extends Application {
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        Anuvadak.INSTANCE.init(VALID_AVK_APP_ID, this);
    }

    @Override
    public Resources getResources() {
        return Anuvadak.INSTANCE.wrapResources(this, super.getResources());

    }
}

Next, add the following code to your  base activity

import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate;

private AppCompatDelegate appCompatDelegate;

    @Override
    public AppCompatDelegate getDelegate() {
        if (appCompatDelegate == null) {
            appCompatDelegate = Anuvadak.INSTANCE.getDelegate(super.getDelegate(), this);
        }
        return appCompatDelegate;
    }

Step 2: Update the Locale on Runtime

To update the locale with the latest strings from Anuvadak for a specific language, use the following code:

  Anuvadak.INSTANCE.updateLocals(this, new Locale(“hi”, “IN”));

In this example, we are changing the locale to Hindi

Step 3: Receiving Callbacks 

To Receive callbacks for updating locale you use the below given code

Note: You need to reset the manual adapter

Anuvadak.INSTANCE.setListener(new AnuvadakListener() {
    @Override
    public void onError(String error) {
        Log.e(TAG, “onError: “ + error);
    }

    @Override
    public void onStringsUpdated() {
        Log.i(TAG, “onStringsUpdated: completed”);
//          sample adapter reset
        adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(
            getBaseContext(),
            android.R.layout.simple_dropdown_item_1line,
            getResources().getStringArray(R.array.string_array)
        );

        adapter.setNotifyOnChange(true);
        adapter.notifyDataSetChanged();

        if (spinner != null) {
            spinner.setAdapter(adapter);
        }


        displayQuantityString();
    }

    @Override
    public void onNoUpdateRequired() {
        // TODO: Not yet implemented
    }

    @Override
    public void onDynamicTranslationResult(String jsonString) {
        // TODO: Not yet implemented
    }
});

Reveries’s Anuvadak OTA supports 12 Indian languages like Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telegu, Punjabi, and Urdu. Whenever there’s a need to update the translation just update via Anuvadak. Whenever your users open their app, it updates over the air (by itself in real-time). Users do not need to update/upgrade the app.

Anuvadak Facilitating Real-time Android Translation

Anuvadak has made the Android app localization process agile and scalable by eliminating the dependency developers had on translators to complete the translation work before pushing any update on the app. With OTA translation even minor tweaks in the content are visible on a user’s app in real-time in their preferred language. So even if there is a correction to be made in the existing content stored in the app memory, the same can be made at the backend and changes will appear at the user’s end even if they have not downloaded the latest version of the app.

Developers no longer need to track down different language versions of an app manually. Translation updates automatically get updated in the software update pipeline, automating the entire localization process. Data proves that for many Android app users accessing apps in their native language is a must have to fully utilize the benefits these apps offer. Anuvadak’s OTA translation for Android ensures users across India interact with apps in a language they are most comfortable with. To know more about how you can fully utilize the Anuvadak SDK get in touch with our team.

Faqs

What is an OTA translation?

OTA or Over-the-air translations enables developers to update translations of their mobile apps without releasing a new version of the app for any content updates.

How does OTA translation updates work on Android?

Developers can embed Anuvadak OTA SDK in the app, every time there is a change in the content it will be updated in real-time on an Android user’s app eliminating the need to release a new version for minor tweaks in content.

How does one ensure consistent terminologies in OTA translation on Android?

Consistency is crucial in multilingual projects. Partnering with a localization expert ensures there are no misses. Anuvadak’s translation memory ensures uniformity in product names, technical terms, and branding across all translated content. 

How can developers ensure real-time Android translations with ease?

Anuvadak has made the Android app localization process agile and scalable by eliminating the dependency developers had on translators to complete the translation work before pushing any update on the app. With OTA translation even minor tweaks in the content is visible on a users app in real-time in their preferred language.

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