I recently made the switch from Android to Apple and I'm really surprised by some of the differences, especially when it comes to translation apps. On Android, it was super simple to tap on text, select 'Translate', and instantly have it open Google Translate or Google Lens. However, on my iPhone, I can't seem to set Google Translate as the default option. Apple's own Translate app doesn't support Hebrew, and whenever I try to highlight text and hit 'Translate', it doesn't even give me Google Translate as an option. I know some apps do show up in that menu, like Reverso. So, what's stopping Google Translate from being available? Is there any news on this potentially changing in iOS 18, or are there any workarounds?
3 Answers
I get where you're coming from; I'm also an iPhone user who reads and writes in Hebrew. I was unaware Android had that feature, but it sounds very convenient! Apple's the one providing the API, but it's up to Google to implement it on their end for iOS.
Honestly, I doubt that adding Google Translate support will happen in iOS 18. If you're really concerned, consider reaching out through Apple’s feedback channels to voice your opinion.
It really comes down to app support rather than Apple itself. Developers need to include the functionality for their apps to appear as options in the translation menu. Google would need to enable that support within their app on iOS.
But Google Translate works so well on Android! It feels unfair that we don't have the same functionality on iOS.
It really was a game-changer! With Google Lens, taking a photo and getting immediate translations was seamless, unlike the longer process I have now.