Multilingual app on the App Store; use two versions - or use Apple's localization? (a special case)

Question

I have a very unique dilemma regarding my app-app for the AppStore iOS.

This application is for children from 1.5 to 3 years, the idea of ​​the application is that the voice leads you through the study of animal names and their sounds. Nothing revolutionary here. The app has always been in Swedish, but now I have added support for English (voice and lyrics).

So how should I handle this when posting to the AppStore? The default route would be localization, but this would provide more faith on the device and its settings. In addition, I absolutely do not want to include any settings menus in the application. If the client downloads the swedish application, the application must be in Swedish, regardless of the language settings on the device.

My argument to exclude any settings in the application is that the target audience is small children, and they should have no other options than to play in the application. If I added flags to the home screen, children would click on them and end with a language that they do not understand. Adding a language setting to "Settings.app" is an option. But do all parents / users know that there are even application settings? In addition, it is pretty bad if a Swedish user buys the Swedish version on the AppStore, but gets the English version on his iPad only because the iPads are in English.

Another way is to create goals and just let go of another application in the AppStore that is tightly bound to a specific language. Applications will have different names, and the icon may be slightly different, for example, background colors and / or flags.

Pros and cons with localization:

• + This is Apple's preferred method
• + I can use the functions of multilingual applications in the AppStore (reviews, etc.)
• + The client receives the whole language when he buys the application (although few, if not, will change the language)
• - Parents need to know that changing the language on the iPad will change the language in the application
• - A Swedish user with an iPad in English will receive an English version
• - He will not tell English users that the App Store has a Swedish version of the application.
• - All assets for the whole language will be in one binary format, the binary file can become quite large.

Pros and cons with two applications (different goals):

• + Very clear for the client, downloading it in Swedish and the application will remain in Swedish, regardless of the language on the iPad.
• + Additional promotion on the App Store will not hurt (customers see several language options on the App Store)
• + No required settings
• + Only unique resources for the language, smaller binaries - faster loading.
• - the same icon for two applications (different names), and the add flags represent countries, not the language.
• - Apple may ban my entire developer account if they consider me to be spam on the App Store.
• - The client must buy two copies in two languages. Probably a dumb argument, very few children are multilingual at the age of 2 years :)

Anyone who has a similar experience who likes to share? I am truly inclined to both solutions here.

Answer 1

I think that if a Swedish user intentionally set their iPad language to English, then they got used to the fact that their applications are automatically defaulted in English due to localization, so I did not expect that they would be shocked by this. If they know how to change their iPad language, then they also have no problem switching the language in Settings.app. I think this is likely to be a rare case too.

Apple is not going to ban your account from having two similar apps on the App Store. You’ll have a problem if you want to release your applications in several languages ​​along the way, then you can look like spam in the App Store.

I would go with localization, you only need to track one application. I’ll probably add a note to the App Store list, where you can indicate that you can change the language and update the support website so that users know how to change the language.

Also, I think your problems with the start screen may be bloated. In your target age group (1.5-3 years), parents will first start the application by choosing the English / Swedish banner immediately, this will allow them to set the language once and for all. Only my two cents. Good luck.