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:

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

Technical Implementation

iOS SDK:

import IntlPull

@main
struct MyApp: App {
    init() {
        IntlPull.configure(
            projectId: "your-project",
            apiKey: "your-key",
            updatePolicy: .onLaunch // or .periodic(minutes: 30)
        )
    }

    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup {
            ContentView()
        }
    }
}

// Usage anywhere in your app
struct WelcomeView: View {
    var body: some View {
        Text(IntlPull.t("welcome.title"))
        // Updates automatically when translations change
    }
}

Android SDK:

class MyApp : Application() {
    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()

        IntlPull.configure(
            context = this,
            projectId = "your-project",
            apiKey = "your-key",
            updatePolicy = UpdatePolicy.OnLaunch
        )
    }
}

// Usage
class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)

        binding.welcomeText.text = IntlPull.t("welcome.title")
    }
}

React Native:

import { IntlPullProvider, useIntlPull } from '@intlpull/react-native';

function App() {
    return (
        <IntlPullProvider
            projectId="your-project"
            apiKey="your-key"
        >
            <WelcomeScreen />
        </IntlPullProvider>
    );
}

function WelcomeScreen() {
    const { t } = useIntlPull();
    return <Text>{t('welcome.title')}</Text>;
}

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.

// Delta update payload
{
    "version": "2024-11-10T15:30:00Z",
    "changes": {
        "welcome.title": "Welcome back!",  // Changed
        "promo.banner": "Holiday Sale!"    // Changed
    }
}

Offline Support

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

IntlPull.configure(
    // ...
    fallbackBehavior: .useCached,  // Use cached if offline
    bundledTranslations: true      // Include baseline in app bundle
)

Version Control

Roll back to any previous version instantly:

# CLI rollback
intlpull rollback --version 2024-11-01

# Or in dashboard: click "Rollback" on any version

Environment Support

Test translations before pushing to production:

IntlPull.configure(
    // ...
    environment: .staging  // or .production
)

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:

5. Legal/Compliance Updates

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

Security Considerations

API Key Protection

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

Content Verification

OTA updates are signed and verified:

IntlPull.configure(
    // ...
    verifySignature: true  // Verify content integrity
)

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:

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):

pod 'IntlPull'

iOS (SPM):

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

Android (Gradle):

implementation 'com.intlpull:sdk:1.0.0'

React Native:

npm install @intlpull/react-native

Step 4: Configure & Ship

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

FAQ

Q: Does this comply with App Store guidelines?

A: Yes. OTA updates for content (including translations) are explicitly allowed. You're not updating code or functionality.

Q: What about offline users?

A: Translations are cached locally. Offline users see cached translations until they reconnect.

Q: How fast are updates?

A: Globally distributed CDN delivers updates in <100ms to users worldwide.

Q: What if an update breaks something?

A: Instant rollback. One click in the dashboard, and all users get the previous version.

Q: Can I use this with existing i18n setup?

A: Yes. IntlPull SDK can wrap existing implementations or work standalone.

Conclusion

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

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.