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'myLINGO' iOS App Lets Users Listen to Spanish Audio Tracks in Real Time at the Movies

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A new app called myLINGO lets Spanish-speaking users listen to studio-recorded dubs of the most popular movies while they're in theaters, thanks to backing from studios including Disney, Paramount, and Sony. The app has also obtained "strategic partnerships" with Regal Entertainment Group and Cinemark Theaters within the United States.

myLINGO works by letting users search for the movie they'll be watching, and then downloading the Spanish audio track to their iPhone, which is recommended to be done at home on Wi-Fi. After that, the app does all the work by listening for the film's audio through the iPhone's microphone, and delivering the Spanish version through the user's headphones "in perfect sync with the film."

mylingo-app-2-800x709.jpg

The company noted that the app's tracks are "studio-sanctioned Spanish versions" of each film available on the app, which were originally created and distributed for international release. The audio translations only play if the app can hear the movie on screen, includes a dark mode that prevents distractions in the theater, and once the movie is over the audio file self-deletes from the iPhone. Right now, myLINGO is only available for Apple's iPhone.
"Hispanic audiences spent approximately $2.5 billion at the box office in 2015, proving a big incentive for cinemas to cater to this market segment," said Olenka Polak, co-founder and CEO of myLINGO. "Even so, our research shows that nearly half of all Spanish-dominant Americans avoid going to the movies because films aren't shown in Spanish. myLINGO addresses that challenge as a partner to both studios and exhibitors, with an innovative way to drive new customers and revenue," she added.
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The app's business model sets prices on a movie-by-movie basis. Users will have to pay $1.99 for each audio track they wish to listen to at the theater, although a few movies currently in the app -- including Disney's Moana and Marvel's Doctor Strange -- are free "for a limited time." myLINGO also doesn't support Bluetooth or any wireless headphones and recommends users remember to bring their wired headphones with them to the movies.

The limit on the app's use in its current state is placed on the studios supporting it, but there are still popular films out now and coming soon that users will be able to try with myLINGO, including: Moana, Office Christmas Party, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Passengers. Other languages are coming down the line, but myLINGO CEO Olenka Polak told Variety that the focus is only on Spanish at this time because "we want a clear marketing message."

You can download myLINGO on the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: 'myLINGO' iOS App Lets Users Listen to Spanish Audio Tracks in Real Time at the Movies
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/07/mylingo-ios-app-spanish-audio/
This is very cool and I'm glad to see this type of thing become available to those who wish to be able to actually understand the movies they watch at the theater. The only drawback is having to put on earphones/headset which, IMO, takes away a little bit from the overall moviegoing experience since you're not fully enjoying the auditorium's sound system.
 
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BeyondtheTech said:
Pretty cool. Hope someone makes one in reverse so I can understand all the beautiful women and their drama on those Spanish soap operas on Telemundo
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For a shorter version you can just type on google "mexican weather girl"
 
I know that it says the user listens through their headphones. I hope it only offers this delivery method, otherwise I can see families turning on the speaker so everyone can listen via one phone.
 
Peel said:
I know that it says the user listens through their headphones. I hope it only offers this delivery method, otherwise I can see families turning on the speaker so everyone can listen via one phone.
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Sounds like a good way to piss off everyone around them, and get theater staff to remove them to me.
 
I trust dark mode will be required, at least after the first 30 seconds using the app, and for any subsequent access to the app until the movie is finished. Cell phone screen lights are so distracting during a movie.
 
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Jeremy1026 said:
Sounds like a good way to piss off everyone around them, and get theater staff to remove them to me.
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Earbuds and on-ear should be forbidden too, as well as in public transportation.

In fact, at the cinema, anything that is not in-ear should probably be forbidden, unless there is a high slope.
 
cube said:
Earbuds and on-ear should be forbidden too, as well as in public transportation.

In fact, at the cinema, anything that is not in-ear should probably be forbidden, unless there is a high slope.
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How does any of that relate to any of this? :confused:
 
AlliFlowers said:
Say the people who speak multiple languages and can't help but read and listen simultaneously. Subtitles are not exact, and it really throws you out of the moment.
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It is not about the ability of speaking multiple languages, but about being trained to read subtitles. Imprecise translation is better than not watching the movie at all. Most of the time, there's nothing to complain about.
 
cube said:
It is not about the ability of speaking multiple languages, but about being trained to read subtitles. Imprecise translation is better than not watching the movie at all. Most of the time, there's nothing to complain about.
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That's absolutely true if you don't speak the language you're hearing and you are forced to rely on subtitles. Otherwise, they are a distraction. Let me know when you speak a second language and try watching a movie with subtitles.
 
AlliFlowers said:
That's absolutely true if you don't speak the language you're hearing and you are forced to rely on subtitles. Otherwise, they are a distraction. Let me know when you speak a second language and try watching a movie with subtitles.
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Let me know when you watch a movie in a language you understand perfectly with subtitles in more than one language that you also understand.

But it is better that a movie is offered with more than one subtitle that having to rely on a tertiary language.

Not all showings have to be the same. You can have dubbed and subtitled showings for the same movie at the same theater. You can also have showings in original version without subtitles, but it should not be exclusive if there's a large portion of the population that speak a different language. Dubbed version exclusivity is even worse.

With digital distribution, there are no technical obstacles to time share a theater.
 
cube said:
Let me know when you watch a movie in a language you understand perfectly with subtitles in more than one language that you also understand.

But it is better that a movie is offered with more than one subtitle that having to rely on a tertiary language.

Not all showings have to be the same. You can have dubbed and subtitled showings for the same movie at the same theater. You can also have showings in original version without subtitles, but it should not be exclusive if there's a large portion of the population that speak a different language. Dubbed version exclusivity is even worse.

With digital distribution, there are no technical obstacles to time share a theater.
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I do this regularly. This is what I based my original statement on. How many languages do you speak?
 
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