The average smartphone user has ten applications installed[1]. Users go shopping with them, and the apps motivate them while they jog and adjust the temperature in their bedroom. When launching an application on the market and into the clients’ lives, you should support them in their native languages. Why? Because it pays off.
Did you know that, in 2020, Android users downloaded 108.5 billion mobile applications[1]? Every third person uses them in Poland, and, according to indications, these numbers will grow[2].
English is the leading language among mobile applications, and many Polish people speak it well enough to use an application without facing any problems. Meanwhile, research by the Polish Central Statistical Office shows that only 30% of Polish people know English on a communicative level[3]. On the other hand, the Office for Electronic Communications reports that “most Internet users have mobile access to it on their phones (91.2%)”[4].
Conclusions? Almost every person in Poland aged 15+ has a phone, but only one in three speaks English well. When you plan to enter the market, you should make sure you have good mobile app application translation in Polish to gain the customers’ favour and increase sales.
When analysing the statistics, bear in mind Polish expatriates. According to the estimations, as many as 4.5 million Poles live abroad[5]. They create a large group of mobile application users as well.
Mobile apps are no longer just entertainment, social networking sites and games. They move into our everyday lives more and more often – controlling an air conditioner and even a washing machine from your smartphone is now possible. Manufacturers of audio and video devices and household appliances equip their products with applications that offer incredible possibilities. However, most of them remain beyond the users’ reach as even the most user-friendly interface won’t replace the users’ native language. In general, application users are forced to use a foreign language, use only some features, usually the essential functions and do not benefit from the full functionalities of devices or programs.
Whether a mobile application is translated or not now has a decisive impact on purchasing a vacuum cleaner, oven, or TV set. We are more likely to shop in our native language than in a foreign language, and the same applies to the subscription of services. The app’s language version directly impacts sales, builds trust in the brand, and makes it more possible to succeed in foreign markets.
Global brand applications are systematically translated into Polish, Dutch or Swedish. However, there is still much work to be done.
For example, look at Strava – a popular mobile app in Poland for sports. Cycling and running enthusiasts are especially fond of it. In 2020, Poles covered 3.3 million km, measured in English. The press office of the application manufacturer does not say how many Strava users there are in Poland. We know nothing about translating the application into Polish as well. So far, it is available in 12 languages, including Portuguese and Dutch[1].
Krawaty do włosów (hair ties, but the Polish word “krawat” means a man’s elegant garment) and karma dla studentów (students’ food, but the Polish word “karma” means a dog or cat food) are just examples of text translation made by one of the e-commerce giants. Automated mobile app translation is sometimes amusing, but it can also mislead the user (especially in user manuals) or discourage the user with artificial vocabulary. Localising the translation will help prevent such errors. When you plan a foreign language version of a mobile application, use the services of an experienced translator who will provide the correct translation in terms of linguistics and offers mobile app localisation, which means adapting it to the culture of a given country and specific traits of the market.
I am at your service if you are looking for a translator who will make the translation of your mobile application understandable and adapted to the cultural context. I provide 100% human and error-free translations that will help you win the hearts of your mobile application users.
[1] https://mobiletrends.pl/raport-przecietny-uzytkownik-korzysta-30-aplikacji-miesiecznie-10-dziennie/, viewed on July 26, 2021.
[2] https://www.telepolis.pl/wiadomosci/prawo-finanse-statystyki/google-play-store-2020-pobrane-aplikacje-przychody, viewed on July 26, 2021.
[3] https://next.gazeta.pl/next/7,163022,27035256,co-trzeci-polak-korzysta-z-aplikacji-mobilnych-69-procent-z.html, viewed on July 26, 2021.
[4] https://www.polishexpress.co.uk/tylko-niecale-30-proc-polakow-zna-jezyk-angielski-w-stopniu-komunikatywnym-polacy-na-potege-klamia-w-cv, viewed on July 26, 2021.
[5] https://www.money.pl/gielda/uke-92-9-polakow-korzystalo-z-telefonu-komorkowego-70-5-z-internetu-w-2019r-6479674512459393a.html, viewed on July 26, 2021.
[6] https://businessinsider.com.pl/finanse/makroekonomia/na-emigracji-zyje-10-proc-polakow-w-europie-malo-kto-nas-przebija-w-tej-kategorii/j7kzxw4, viewed on July 26, 2021.
