Silicon Valley launch for mobile app localisation player

19 Sep 2011

Irish mobile app localisation platform Tethras has launched its new software in the US at an opening in Mountain View, California, at the heart of Silicon Valley.

The NovaUCD-based company provides a simple and affordable platform directly connecting developers to a multi-region community of seasoned language translators.

Brian Farrell and Brendan Clavin established the company in 2010.

By developing a suite of cloud-based tools and APIs, Tethras eliminates the need for project managers and excessive developer preparatory work. This enables developers to spend more time creating new apps, and less time maintaining and updating them for multiple markets.

The online service provides mobile app developers with a powerful way to translate apps into more than 40 languages. By using Tethras, mobile developers gain access to global markets and new streams of revenue without ever having to leave their desks, give up their source code, or download a single piece of software.

According to Gartner, global mobile app market revenue is predicted to exceed $58bn by 2014. As smartphones gain popularity worldwide, the majority of app downloads are already occurring outside of a developer’s local market.

According to data made public by Apple, an average of eight out of the top 10 grossing apps in China, South Korea and France are localised. Therefore, the need for seamless app translation is critical to maximising revenue and reach.

”Previously, app translation was a fragmented and frustrating undertaking that often resulted in a lengthy go-to-market timeline,” said Farrell, who is also Tethras’ CEO.

Word’s first localisation-as-a-service (LaaS) platform

As the world’s first localisation-as-a-service (LaaS) platform, Tethras enables translators and developers to preview what a translation will look like within the app itself. This results in a more accurate translation of the app interface.

As Tethras is a cloud-based service, updating and managing translations is a pain-free process, seamlessly integrating with the app-development workflow. As a result, developers and translators can work together more freely and efficiently.

“Tethras aims to simplify app localisation with high-quality translation by real human translators and an easily scalable experience. Tethras is currently fundraising to capitalise on the exponential growth we are seeing in the market.”

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com