{
  "id": 14033253,
  "title": "More Indigenous Languages Come to iPhone and iPad Keyboards in New Apple Update",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/more-indigenous-languages-come-to-iphone-and-ipad-keyboards-in-new",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-12T19:31:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNET",
    "slug": "cnet",
    "url": "https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/indigenous-languages-iphone-ipad-keyboards-apple-update/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Apple has introduced support for indigenous languages in its iPhone and iPad keyboards with the latest iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 updates released in September. The update marks a significant step in honoring Native American heritage, culture, and sovereignty, particularly on Indigenous Peoples' Day, a federally recognized holiday in the US.\n\nAmong the supported languages are Blackfoot, Cherokee, and others. While some languages, such as Cherokee, have only a few thousand fluent speakers globally, their inclusion showcases the commitment to preserving these languages. Cherokee was the first Native American language added to iOS in 2010, and its inclusion has been viewed as an encouraging development for the younger generation learning the language.\n\nTeachers in Oklahoma are leveraging these tools in their classrooms to engage students with Native American languages. These features enable students to record and revisit their pronunciation, emphasizing the importance of every sound in the Cherokee language. For instance, a minor deviation in pronunciation can result in conveying an entirely different word.\n\nThe 85-character-written Cherokee language, originally 86, is represented by syllables or sounds in the spoken language. Cherokee artist Roy Boney Jr. collaborated with Apple engineers to integrate the Cherokee syllabary into Apple devices. He emphasized that ensuring the survival and continuation of language and culture is a crucial aspect of being Cherokee.\n\nHigh-schooler Olivia Daugherty, who graduated from the immersion school in 2024, expressed her concerns about losing her language and culture. However, she is optimistic about the younger generation's role in securing the language's future, highlighting a first-language speaker as her niece, who is one of the first in a very long time.",
  "summary": "Some schools are using these keyboards to help students learn these endangered languages.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Guardian Technology",
        "title": "iPhone 18 Pro Max review: Apple’s biggest, heaviest and longest-lasting superphone",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/iphone-18-pro-max-review-apples-biggest-heaviest-and-longest-lasting",
        "published": "2026-10-12T06:00:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Wired",
        "title": "How Apple Puts Indigenous Languages on the iPhone Keyboard",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/how-apple-puts-indigenous-languages-on-the-iphone-keyboard",
        "published": "2026-10-12T11:15:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "AppleInsider",
        "title": "Where Apple focused engineering so the iPhone Duo could have desktop-like performance",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/where-apple-focused-engineering-so-the-iphone-duo-could-have-desktop",
        "published": "2026-10-12T12:57:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "9to5Mac",
        "title": "Apple has reportedly increased its iPhone Duo orders by 30%",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/apple-has-reportedly-increased-its-iphone-duo-orders-by-30",
        "published": "2026-10-12T14:53:38.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Android Authority",
        "title": "Planning to buy Apple’s iPhone Duo? Here are Xfinity Mobile’s deals",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/planning-to-buy-apples-iphone-duo-here-are-xfinity-mobiles-deals",
        "published": "2026-10-12T20:11:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}