Despite rolling a homegrown translation app with iOS 14, Apple resorts to freebie tool for Dutch Ts-and-Cs waffle
- Reference: 1601295211
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/09/28/apple_deepl_dutch_translation/
- Source link:
Spotted by a Register reader browsing the small print behind the company's services, the text "Vertaald met www.DeepL.com/Translator (gratis versie)" can be found lurking just above the "DEFINITIE VAN APPLE" section in the terms-and-conditions doc.
For those not versed in Dutch, that means something like "Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)".
[1]
Apple's Dutch legalese
We'd give you our own definition of Apple, but that's possibly [2]how we wound up on the company's naughty step.
[3]DeepL Translator [PDF] was first released in August 2017, with the free service (presumably the one that has found favour within Cupertino) being supplemented by DeepL Pro in March 2018. An application to integrate with Windows and macOS arrived in September 2019.
Sadly, it appears that for Apple, maker of the [4]$999 iPhone 11 Pro and [5]$5,999 Mac Pro , the €39.99 per month/per user of DeepL's " [6]Ultimate " tier subscription is just a little too much. Even the €5.99 tier is a step too far.
Odd, because by opting for the freebie incarnation, Apple has elected to skip DeepL's maximum data security level for its translation (with end-to-end encryption and immediate text deletion). Stranger still, [7]the recent iOS 14 update added an Apple-built translation app to iPhones. Maybe they should have used that.
The Register contacted Apple to find out why a link to a free translation service had found its way into its terms and conditions. We're shocked, shocked , to report that the company has yet to respond.
DeepL has also not responded to our request for comment.
A quick look at old versions of the page shows that the translation credit appeared relatively recently, presumably when the likes of Fitness+ were crowbarred in. Apple Fitness+ costs $9.99 a month, a little more than how much DeepL asks per month for its basic tier.
It could be worse. The translation-based snafu could have ended up on a [8]road sign .
As for our reader? He noted: "The translation is rather poor, I didn't expect this kind of work from Apple."
If the quality of [9]recent software from the fruity branded biz is anything to go by, this is exactly the sort of thing we've come to expect. ®
Get our [10]Tech Resources
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/09/28/appletranslationsnafu.png
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2018/10/05/dead_steve_jobs_saint/
[3] https://www.deepl.com/files/press/companyProfile_EN.pdf
[4] https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-11-pro
[5] https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/mac-pro
[6] https://www.deepl.com/pro
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/16/apple_ios_14_launch/
[8] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7702913.stm
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/27/apple_catalina_update/
[10] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Klingon?
But how good is the Klingon translation?
Re: Klingon?
As good as Jack Speare.
It should have been translated by a Dutch lawyer
With a legal document, it is not just a case of making an accurate translation. You also need to make sure that it is compliant with the laws and legal drafting practices of the country in question.
For example, to translate from American English to British English, you don't just correct a few spelling errors. There's lots of legal phrases with specific meanings that will need to be completely overhauled. Also, things like "Federal Court" may be perfectly valid English on both sides of the pond, but completely meaningless from a legal point of view on the Eastern side of it.
If you ask Google to translate the following from Italian:
Slovenia
Croazia
Serbia
Bosnia
Montenegro
Macedonia
you get:
Slovenia
Croatia
Serbia
Bosnia
Montenegro
fruit salad
Deepl does at least get this right.
Fruit Salad would be a correct translation of Macedonia if it was found in a menu with a list of other food items, but not in a list of countries that were formerly part of Yugoslavia.
But then, if I ask Deepl to translate
Gelato
Macedonia
It gets that Gelato is Ice Cream, but it doesn't get that Macedonia is actually fruit salad in this context.
Re: It should have been translated by a Dutch lawyer
Yep, I thought it was a bit of a strange thing to simply translate too.
Mind I don't know what is current and standard practice for these things but you do assume (perhaps wrongly) that an outfit the size of Apple would be covered in most jurisdictions as to not need a free version of a translation tool.
Re: It should have been translated by a Dutch lawyer
Depends a bit on the relevant jurisdiction. US T&Cs generally rely heavily on extra-terroriality but contain the relevant clauses that cover their butt in case courts in other jurisdictions disagee. E.g. Microsoft's EULA has frequently been considered unfit by German and other courts regarding automatic consent and the right to copy but this hasn't invalidated the agreements in their entirity.
Re: It should have been translated by a Dutch lawyer
Most of the Dutch people I know don't fully understand Dutch Legalize or Dutch tax gibberish, they usually say ask your lawyer or accountant.
Re: It should have been translated by a Dutch lawyer
Hard to believe any Apple employee with even the slightest understanding of the law would thought using a translation service would work for a legal document. I rather doubt Apple does all such translation itself, it probably hires someone (hopefully law firms) to do it. But a law firm wouldn't think this was appropriate either.
Whoever did it, maybe someone had lied on their resume about being fluent in Dutch and was forced to fake it. They'd know no one would be likely to check it too carefully, and obviously didn't. Apparently whoever took the shortcut didn't either, or they would have removed that link.
Dutch people should carefully read what is likely to be goobledegook, because they might find poor translation has committed Apple to all kinds of largess!
Save your money
From what I understand, EULAs are worthless anyway. Good on Apples to not fork out money for translating it.
Beter goed gejat dan slecht bedacht.
(Better nicked than badly conceived).
the recent iOS 14 update added an Apple-built translation app to iPhones
At least their lawyers are smart enough not to use Apple software. Based on my experience with my iPhone, I would see this as an "A" grade on their CV. Unfortunately, the fact that they used any translation software, rather than a Dutch lawyer, gives them an overall FAIL.
I can (barely) understand Apple saving pennies by using a cheap capacitor or other component, although it is sh*tty thing to do. After all, when they sell hundreds of millions of phones, those pennies add up, and early failure, after warranty period, just adds to future sales. But this is a one time expense with no future advantages, and potentially serious disadvantages. Apple are just cheap bastards.
We'd give you our own definition of Apple
Bietser?