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You can set Google Translate as your iPhone or iPad's default translation app.
Lewis Wallace
May 20, 2025
The Apple Translate app that comes on every iPhone and iPad works well enough — assuming it offers the language(s) you need.
Unfortunately, Apple Translate’s language options remain extremely limited compared to competitors like Google Translate.
The gap is somewhat shocking: Apple Translate offers only 19 languages, while Google Translate offers 249.
Luckily, a recent iOS change lets you set third-party options like Google Translate as your device’s default translation app. This will come in handy if you need to translate text on your iPhone or iPad that Apple’s app doesn’t cover.
However, as with all things Google, there’s a trade-off.
If you want to try it, our new how-to gives you the lowdown on setting Google Translate as your iPhone’s default translation app.
Also in today’s newsletter:
Apple’s agenda for WWDC25 is out. The annual developers conference will give us our first look at Apple’s next-gen operating systems, and it’s coming up fast.
Part of that future includes opening up Apple’s AI models to third-party app developers, according to a new report. Apple seems to want to replicate the raging success of the App Store.
I’d like to thank Incogni for sponsoring this newsletter all week. Incogni runs a great service that scrubs your personal data from the web, lowering the number of spam calls and emails you receive. And the company is offering a special deal with code CULTOFMAC. See below.
Summers are better with Bluetooth speakers. This deal on a refurbished Sony SRS-XB33 makes it easy to bring the bass wherever you go, from campgrounds and parks to beaches and pools.
This rare discount on an Apple Magic Mouse looks pretty appealing, too.
And finally, some of the reader responses to yesterday’s poll about camping outside an Apple store are absolutely hilarious. Keep ‘em coming!
— Lewis Wallace, managing editor
A message from Incogni
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A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
Tweets of the day
Today marks 10 years at Apple. X.
The humility that comes from the scale of the work is only surpassed by that which comes from collaborating with such talented and creative colleagues. I’m very fortunate.
— Sam Iglesias (@siglesias)
8:45 PM • May 18, 2025
When Apple “Intelligence” tries to summarize my X feed. 😂 $TSLA @RandyWKirk1
— A.P. (@a_pad91)
3:45 AM • May 20, 2025
Wallpaper of the day
Wallpaper 4k IPhone 2025. iPhone Wallpapers
— 🖍️💬PF. 🖥️ 💻 Wallpapers 📐📏. AI Ilustrations (@Iphonewall38341)
5:37 PM • May 19, 2025
One more thing ...
What happens in most companies is that you don't keep great people under working environments where individual accomplishment is discouraged rather than encouraged. The great people leave and you end up with mediocrity. I know, because that's how Apple was built. Apple is an Ellis Island company. Apple is built on refugees from other companies. These are the extremely bright individual contributors who were troublemakers at other companies.
Today’s poll
Which translation app do you use? |
Results from yesterday’s poll: Did you ever camp out in front of an Apple retail store?
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