The Saami Council Welcomes Apple’s Support for the Sámi languages on iOS

With the launch of iPhone and iPad iOS 17.2, Apple has included support for 8 of the Sámi languages, including Sámi keyboards and system UI languages. The Saami Council and the Arctic University of Norway have contributed to Apple’s keyboard project. 

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, small endangered indigenous languages like the Sámi languages face significant challenges. They often lack the comprehensive digital solutions available to more widely spoken languages. This disparity not only hinders the day-to-day usage of these languages but also poses a threat to their survival. For a living language to thrive in modern society, its usability on digital arenas is crucial.

– We want to commend Apple for their interest and active commitment to this project, and we hope that it can serve as an example of best practice for other big tech companies globally. If we are to ensure the survival of endangered Indigenous Peoples’ languages, we need the global tech companies to adapt their services and products to support the use of small Indigenous Peoples’ languages, such as the Sámi languages, says Aslak Holmberg, president of the Saami Council.

For a number of years, the Divvun group of UiT The Arctic University of Norway, has offered a third party solution for Sámi keyboards on iOS (Divvun Keyboards on the App store). This has enabled the use of the Sámi languages for many iOS users, but with some limitations on performance and the use of external keyboards.

The update also includes support for all Sámi letters on Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish keyboards. This is important, among other reasons, to ensure that Sámi place names can be correctly typed using the majority languages' keyboards.

– I am especially happy that Apple was able to roll out support for eight of the Sámi languages, namely Kildin, Skolt, Inari, North, Lule, Pite, Ume, and South Sámi languages. I also hope that this is just the beginning, and that both Apple and other companies will be motivated to take further steps to facilitate the use of the Sámi languages, Holmberg concludes.