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Localisation of software and the operating system to support different languages using the latin script is generally straightforward and usually require no code changes to implement. Non-latin scripts such as Arabic or Hebrew would pose an additional level of complexity.
The most complicated localisation task are the ones involving non-latin scripts requiring additional input systems to translate key-inputs into the relevant glyphs such as in Chinese or Japanese.
The decision to utilise Netfront Reader from ACCESS, with their extensive experience of implementing browsers for embedded systems and Japanese language environments is a logical one when the need to support EPUB3 (display) is combined with the need for text input in Japanese or Chinese.
It would be interesting to see whether Netfront becomes the standard for all future Kobo readers. If so, we could expect to see significant changes to the reader functionality of Kobo devices. Retaining a single code base is certainly an advantage from dev point of view but it would also mean splitting the team between ACCESS and KOBO.
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