China's top (and pretty much monopolist) taxi app, Didi Chuxing, is quietly trialing an English version.
The app, which doesn't even have an English listing in the App Store yet, started showing English translations to some users, according to Shanghai resident, Mathieu Bouchara.
SEE ALSO:You can track someone's live location and where they live for just a couple of dollarsBouchara said that not only was his app's interface in English, Chinese addresses were also getting automatically translated.
However, this might be more trouble than it's worth for English-speaking users, he noted in an email.
Credit: mathieu bouchara/bonjourchine.com
Credit: MATHIEU BOUCHARA/BONJOURCHINE.COMAddresses were not spelled out in Chinese phonetics, but pretty much machine-translated for meaning, thereby becoming an entirely different word in English. That's likely to be confusing for some, who will suddenly be presented with English approximations of landmarks, rather than their Chinese names.
Bouchara said he was headed to "Tai Fu Ming Di Nan Men," but realised the Chinese characters were gone from the address. He wasn't shown the hanyu pinyin, or phonetics version either, but "Territory Shanghai China South Gate" -- a phrase that didn't make sense to him.
The app's help section was also translated to English, but parts of the app such as user credits remain in Chinese for now.
Credit: MATHIEU BOUCHARA/BONJOURCHINE.COM
Credit: MATHIEU BOUCHARA/BONJOURCHINE.COMDidi's English version appears to be in closed trial. Several China-based users with phones set to English we spoke to said their apps were still in Chinese.
Didi's effort to translate to English likely helps fill the gap left behind by Uber, which all but exited the country last year after selling its Chinese business to Didi.
The U.S. taxi app couldn't handle the cost of competing with the massive Didi -- itself a merger of two huge warring taxi companies, when Kuaidi Dache and Didi Dache decided to stop fighting and become one in 2015.
TopicsUber
(责任编辑：綜合)
Olympics official on Rio's green diving pool: 'Chemistry is not an exact science'
Online dating FOMO is ruining my chances of finding a date
Get ready for 'Jane the Virgin' with this Season 2 binge guide
'Dishonored 2' is Emily’s game, Corvo just plays thereSound the alarms: Simone Biles finally met Zac EfronSatisfy your Olympics withdrawals with Nike's latest app
Following in the footsteps of last year's successful launch of Nike's Tech Book is back in its secon
...[详细]8 easy ways to guard your privacy on your iPhone
Phone security isn't the most rock-and-roll topic to ponder, but with nefarious types getting more a
...[详细]'Stranger Things' fans rejoice, this restaurant is feeding Demogorgons to diners
LONDON -- For fans of Stranger Things, ending up as a Demogorgon's dinner would be the ultimate nigh
...[详细]Republicans condemn Trump comments because of their 'wives and daughters'
After video surfaced Friday of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump saying he would "grab [w
...[详细]Florida hurricane forecast remains uncertain, but trends in state's favor
For days, a war has been raging between two of the premiere computer models used to help predict the
...[详细]Ted Cruz phone banking for Donald Trump gets the perfect Photoshop battle
Ted Cruz probably never imaged he would actually go to bat for Donald Trump, never mind pick up the
...[详细]12 spooktacular skins coming to 'Overwatch' for Halloween
Halloween is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than decking out your favorite Overwatchc
...[详细]Get ready for 'Jane the Virgin' with this Season 2 binge guide
Let's begin! Jane the Virginis about to return to the CW for Season 3, which means starting Oct. 17
...[详细]Researchers create temporary tattoos you can use to control your devices
In the future, your tattoos could be much more than just ink designs. 。Scientists have created a new
...[详细]This French Instagram profile is not what you think it is
At first sight, Louise Delage is just a normal 25-year-old from Paris who likes posting pictures of
...[详细]Tributes flow after death of former Singapore president S.R. Nathan
People call out this advert featuring a woman's bottom as sexist
