Ask HN: Any possibility of decent multi-language support on Android?
Living in a non English speaking country (whose language I also speak), my device is set to English (as main language), which leaves me with the following problems:
Google maps will pronounce every street name in English. Can't have messages from locals read aloud while driving (using android car) for the same reason. Can't dictate even short replies using the local language. I can't even initiate phone calls by voice since looking up contacts with non English sounding names is a pain.
The only remedy seems to be to set the complete device to the local language ; so now I have all the problems reversed (it won't be able to read English, I won't be able to dictate English), but this also switches over the complete system including every app.
Setting multiple languages in Android seems to be for auto-correct only. Great! Love it /s
Why no auto-detect? Google Translate (or MS Translator) do a reasonably good job differentiating between dozens of languages, but Android can't do that with only the few languages I use and have set? Why is there no manual way to set a language for a certain app? This would be awesome for language learners. Play Game 'XYZ' in let's say French without having to switch over your complete system, why not?
Am I so alone with this, is my use case so unique? How come it sucks so hard in 2020?