📝 Translating Text into Another Language Using Just a Single Line of Code 😱

Welcome to issue #53 of the iOS Coffee Break Newsletter 📬 and to the 2nd edition of the "Get started with Machine Learning" series.

In the last issue of the newsletter, I introduced a new series titled "Get Started with Machine Learning", which - no surprises here 🤭 - is all about exploring various machine learning methods.

In this week's edition, I'll demonstrate how effortlessly we can implement text translation using Apple's new Translation framework. If we are working with SwiftUI, it takes just a SINGLE line of code to make it happen. Sounds too good to be true right? 😱

Read on and see for yourself! 👇

Translating Text to Another Language

Let's kick off by exploring how we can use Apple's Translation API.

To start, here is how it works:

import SwiftUI
import Translation
 
struct TranslationView: View {
    @State private var text = ""
    @State private var showingTranslation = false
 
    var body: some View {
        NavigationStack {
            List {
                Section {
                    TextField(
                        "Enter the text to translate", 
                        text: $text, 
                        axis: .vertical
                    )
                }
            }
            .navigationTitle("Translation Playground")
            .toolbar {
                ToolbarItem(placement: .bottomBar) {
                    Button("Translate") {
                        showingTranslation = true
                    }
                    .disabled(text.isEmpty)
                }
            }
            // the line that makes all possible!
            .translationPresentation(isPresented: $showingTranslation, text: text)
        }
    }
}

Here is a brief rundown of what the code accomplishes:

• We import Apple's Translation machine learning framework and apply the .translationPresentation view modifier.
• This modifier brings up a sheet that displays the original text and its detected language, lets users choose a target language, and shows the translated version of the text. It also has the ability to read the translated text out loud. You can either rely on the built-in interface to let the system handle translations for your users, or use the framework to build a more tailored translation experience.

To dive deeper into what the Translation framework can do, explore this guide.

To try it out, tap the Translate button. Experiment with different languages and use the play icon to listen to how each translation is pronounced.

Translation App Playground.

P.S. Apologies if the Chinese text I pasted isn't quite right! 😅

🤝 Wrapping Up

In this edition, we explored how the Translation framework leverages machine learning to deliver powerful translation capabilities. Although it is possible to perform translations without machine learning, this framework streamlines the process, making it both easier and more effective.

Have any feedback, suggestions, or ideas to share? Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter.