Babel from your wrist

How to use the new Translate app on Apple Watch.

Author

Leander Kahney
May 07, 2025

Years ago, while on vacation in Tokyo, I used my iPhone to talk with a local.

This was before Google Translate and other popular apps that can speak out loud, so we conversed via text. I typed out what I wanted to say on my iPhone, used Google to translate it, then handed my interlocutor my phone for them to type out their response.

Needless to say, it was painful.

How times have changed. These days, the iPhone comes with a pretty good Translate app built in that can chatter in 20 languages.

And now it’s on your Apple Watch, too, courtesy of watchOS 11. The Apple Watch’s Translate app is surprisingly full-featured and capable. It looks very easy to use, too.

Would you use your Apple Watch instead of your iPhone, though? I dunno, but it’s definitely good to know about. Find out how easy it is to translate from your wrist.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • You gotta love old products that gain great new features via software updates. Apple’s not the only company to do this, but it does it very well. Case in point: iPhone 13’s cool new upgrade.

  • I was bored to tears by the milquetoast, goody-goody main characters in Apple TV+’s epic space opera Foundation, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching the main baddie, brilliantly played by Lee Pace. Apple just dropped a Foundation season three trailer, and it looks, well, epic. I’ll be tuning in.

  • Apple also just greenlit a second season of Seth Rogen’s hot Hollywood comedy, The Studio. I’ve been hearing good things about it. Cult of Mac managing editor Lewis Wallace (who has a great sense of humor) is a big fan.

  • Woah, this is a killer price for the new entry-level iPad, a really fab device. How am I gonna sneak this past my wife?

  • Soundcore’s Liberty earbuds are a low-cost AirPods Pro 2 competitor. They just got an update, and an even lower price.

  • LOL. After devoting yesterday’s newsletter to a new iPhone game controller and some new games, only two of you guys said you use one, according to the daily poll. See below.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Translate from your Apple Watch

The Apple Watch Translate app can help you quickly speak in a different language while you’re abroad, right from your wrist.

iOS 18.5 will bring satellite connectivity to iPhone 13

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Refurbished iPhone 15 series lands in the US with big discounts

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A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

iPad 11 drops to lowest price yet

A new iPad deal offers big discounts on multiple models of Apple's tablet, including the entry-level iPad 11 with 128GB storage.

Galactic war looms as ‘Foundation’ returns for season 3 [Apple TV+ trailer]

Epic sci-fi series "Foundation" returns in July as rebels and Empire form an uneasy alliance in the face of humanity's doom.

Apple TV+ greenlights ‘The Studio’ season 2 and brings back more comedies

Seth Rogen's hit Hollywood comedy will return to Apple TV+ for season two. "Trying" gets renewed; "Acapulco" winds down.

A message from Custom Writings

Write like Steve Jobs: What Apple's co-founder taught me about storytelling

In Steve Jobs' remarkable speeches, he displayed a remarkable ability to hook and loop an audience by telling a story.

VPN deal: Browse like a ghost, stream like a god for just $10 per year

Grab this 3-year iProVPN subscription for just $29.99. You can use it on up to 10 devices simultaneously (Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, etc.).

Soundcore Liberty 5 earbuds boost noise canceling, immersive sound

The new earbuds pack improvements across the board, at a lower price than the previous model.

Today in Apple history: Apple PR guru Katie Cotton steps down

On May 7, 2014, Katie Cotton -- the fearsome, much-admired head of Apple worldwide publicity -- stepped down from her VP post after 18 years.

Mac mini rig elevates cable management to an art form [Setups]

Today's immaculate dual-display Mac mini setup shows that the best cable management tricks remain hidden (by design).

Tweets of the day

Wallpaper of the day

One more thing ...

❝

The reason I went back to Apple is that I feel like the world would be a better place with Apple in it than not. And it's hard to imagine the world without Apple now.

— Steve Jobs, 1998.

Today’s poll

What do you use as a translator?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Results from yesterday’s poll: Ever use an iPhone game controller?

Best reader comments

Subscribe to The Weekender — Get the week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.

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