OTA Translation Updates: Ship Translations Without App Releases

What Are OTA Translation Updates?

OTA (Over-the-Air) translation updates allow you to push translation changes directly to your mobile app users without requiring them to download a new version from the App Store or Google Play.

Think of it like how apps update their content (news feeds, product listings, etc.) without needing a full app update. OTA translation updates apply the same concept to your app's text content.

The Traditional Problem

Without OTA updates, changing any translation requires:

1. Development time: Update translation files, test, merge
2. Build process: Create new app build
3. App store submission: Upload to App Store Connect / Google Play Console
4. Review period: 1-7 days for Apple, 1-3 days for Google
5. User adoption: Hope users have auto-updates enabled

Total time: 3-14 days for a single typo fix

Real-World Pain Points

Marketing Team: "We need to update the promo text for the holiday campaign" Developer: "That's a 2-week turnaround if we're lucky with app review" Marketing Team: "But the campaign starts Monday..."

QA Team: "There's a typo in the German checkout flow" Developer: "I'll fix it in the next release" Users: Seeing "Kasse bezaheln" instead of "Kasse bezahlen" for 3 weeks

How OTA Updates Work

Architecture

┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐
│                 │     │                 │     │                 │
│   IntlPull      │────▶│      CDN        │────▶│   Mobile App    │
│   Dashboard     │     │   (Worldwide)   │     │                 │
│                 │     │                 │     │                 │
└─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘
     Update                  Cache &              Fetch on
   translations            distribute             launch

The Flow

1. You update translations in IntlPull dashboard or push via CLI
2. Click publish to deploy changes
3. CDN distributes updated translations globally
4. App checks for updates on launch (or periodically)
5. Delta download: Only changed strings are fetched
6. Users see updates immediately

Technical Implementation

iOS SDK:

SwiftCopy
1import IntlPull
2
3@main
4struct MyApp: App {
5    init() {
6        IntlPull.configure(
7            projectId: "your-project",
8            apiKey: "your-key",
9            updatePolicy: .onLaunch // or .periodic(minutes: 30)
10        )
11    }
12
13    var body: some Scene {
14        WindowGroup {
15            ContentView()
16        }
17    }
18}
19
20// Usage anywhere in your app
21struct WelcomeView: View {
22    var body: some View {
23        Text(IntlPull.t("welcome.title"))
24        // Updates automatically when translations change
25    }
26}

Android SDK:

KotlinCopy
1class MyApp : Application() {
2    override fun onCreate() {
3        super.onCreate()
4
5        IntlPull.configure(
6            context = this,
7            projectId = "your-project",
8            apiKey = "your-key",
9            updatePolicy = UpdatePolicy.OnLaunch
10        )
11    }
12}
13
14// Usage
15class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
16    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
17        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
18
19        binding.welcomeText.text = IntlPull.t("welcome.title")
20    }
21}

React Native:

JSXCopy
1import { IntlPullProvider, useIntlPull } from '@intlpullhq/react-native';
2
3function App() {
4    return (
5        <IntlPullProvider
6            projectId="your-project"
7            apiKey="your-key"
8        >
9            <WelcomeScreen />
10        </IntlPullProvider>
11    );
12}
13
14function WelcomeScreen() {
15    const { t } = useIntlPull();
16    return <Text>{t('welcome.title')}</Text>;
17}

Key Features

Delta Updates

Only download what changed. If you update 5 strings out of 5,000, users download ~500 bytes instead of the full translation file.

JSONCopy
1// Delta update payload
2{
3    "version": "2026-01-10T15:30:00Z",
4    "changes": {
5        "welcome.title": "Welcome back!",  // Changed
6        "promo.banner": "Holiday Sale!"    // Changed
7    }
8}

Offline Support

Translations are cached locally. If the network is unavailable, the app uses cached translations.

SwiftCopy
1IntlPull.configure(
2    // ...
3    fallbackBehavior: .useCached,  // Use cached if offline
4    bundledTranslations: true      // Include baseline in app bundle
5)

Version Control

Roll back to any previous version instantly:

TerminalCopy
1// CLI rollback
2npx @intlpullhq/cli rollback --version 2026-01-01
3
4// Or in dashboard: click "Rollback" on any version

Environment Support

Test translations before pushing to production:

SwiftCopy
1IntlPull.configure(
2    // ...
3    environment: .staging  // or .production
4)

Use Cases

1. Fix Translation Errors

Before OTA: Wait 1-2 weeks for app release With OTA: Fixed in under a minute

2. Seasonal Campaigns

Summer Sale → Back to School → Halloween → Black Friday → Holiday

Update promotional text instantly without planning releases around marketing campaigns.

3. A/B Testing Copy

Test different translations to optimize conversion:

Version A: "Start Free Trial"
Version B: "Try Free for 14 Days"

Measure results and switch to the winner. No app release needed.

4. Launch New Languages

Add support for a new language without waiting for the next release:

1. Add translations in IntlPull
2. Publish
3. Users who set that language see it immediately

5. Legal/Compliance Updates

When regulations require text changes, update immediately instead of scrambling for an emergency release.

Security Considerations

API Key Protection

SwiftCopy
1// Don't hardcode keys in source
2IntlPull.configure(
3    apiKey: Secrets.intlPullKey  // From secure storage
4)

Content Verification

OTA updates are signed and verified:

SwiftCopy
1IntlPull.configure(
2    // ...
3    verifySignature: true  // Verify content integrity
4)

Scope Limitations

OTA updates can only change translations, not code, not layouts, not functionality. This keeps you compliant with app store guidelines.

Comparison: OTA vs Traditional

Why Other TMS Don't Offer OTA

Building OTA requires:

1. Global CDN infrastructure: Expensive to operate
2. Native SDKs: iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter
3. Delta update system: Complex engineering
4. Offline caching: Robust local storage
5. Version management: Rollback capability

Most TMS platforms (Lokalise, Crowdin, Phrase) focus on the translation workflow and export files for you to bundle in your app. IntlPull built OTA from the ground up.

Getting Started with OTA

Step 1: Create IntlPull Account

Sign up free. No credit card required.

Step 2: Add Your Project

Import existing translations or start fresh.

Step 3: Install SDK

iOS (CocoaPods):

RUBYCopy
pod 'IntlPull'

iOS (SPM):

https://github.com/intlpull/intlpull-ios

Android (Gradle):

GROOVYCopy
implementation 'com.intlpull:sdk:1.0.0'

React Native:

TerminalCopy
npm install @intlpullhq/react-native

Step 4: Configure & Ship

Initialize the SDK and start using translations. That's it. Updates flow automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are OTA translation updates?

OTA (Over-the-Air) translation updates allow you to push translation changes directly to mobile app users without requiring app store releases. Instead of waiting 3-14 days for Apple/Google review cycles, translations update instantly when users open your app. This technology is similar to how apps update content feeds—but applied to localization.

Do OTA updates comply with App Store guidelines?

Yes, OTA translation updates fully comply with App Store and Google Play guidelines. Apple and Google explicitly allow over-the-air content updates, including translations. You're updating text strings, not code or functionality. IntlPull's SDK only modifies translation strings—no code execution, no layout changes—keeping you within platform guidelines.

Which TMS platforms support OTA updates?

IntlPull is the only major TMS offering true OTA translation updates. Lokalise, Crowdin, Phrase, and Transifex all require traditional workflows: export translations → commit to repo → build new app version → submit to app stores → wait for review. IntlPull built OTA infrastructure from the ground up with native SDKs for iOS, Android, and React Native.

How fast do OTA translation updates reach users?

OTA updates reach users in under 100ms via IntlPull's globally distributed CDN. When you publish translation changes, they're distributed worldwide instantly. Users see updated translations the next time they launch your app (or immediately if you configure periodic background updates). Compare this to 3-14 days for traditional app store releases.

What happens if users are offline?

Translations are cached locally on the device. Offline users see the most recently cached translations. When they reconnect, the app automatically fetches any updates. You can also bundle baseline translations in your app package as a fallback, ensuring users always have some version of translations available regardless of network state.

Can I rollback OTA translation updates?

Yes, instant rollback is built in. If an update causes issues, click "Rollback" in the IntlPull dashboard to instantly revert all users to a previous version. No app store submission required. This makes OTA updates safer than traditional releases—mistakes can be fixed in seconds instead of days.

How do OTA updates save development time?

OTA updates eliminate the entire release cycle for translation changes. Traditional approach: update strings (10 min) → commit (5 min) → build (15 min) → submit to stores (30 min) → review (1-7 days) → user adoption (varies). OTA approach: update strings (10 min) → publish (1 click) → done. Teams report saving 1-2 weeks per translation cycle.

Is OTA safe for sensitive content like legal text?

Yes, with proper workflow controls. IntlPull supports staging environments to test translations before production deployment. Content is signed and verified to prevent tampering. For highly sensitive content (legal, medical), you can still require human review before OTA publish while benefiting from instant deployment once approved.

Conclusion

OTA translation updates transform mobile localization from a slow, painful process into an agile, responsive workflow:

• Fix typos instantly instead of waiting weeks
• Update marketing copy on your schedule, not Apple's
• A/B test translations without multiple app builds
• Launch languages faster without release coordination

IntlPull is the only TMS that offers full OTA support for iOS, Android, and React Native.

Ready to ship translations instantly? Start your free trial and experience OTA updates today.