Android users can now use their phones to text in the Tibetan language.

Until recently, Tibetan text was only available on the iPhone, a device which many in China still cannot afford: “Now the situation is different.” says Dordram, the Vice-President of Gansu Normal University of Nationalities in Hezuo, Gansu. “People can buy less expensive phones and install Tibetan fonts themselves. More Tibetans can benefit from digital technology.”

The China Tibetology Research Center has created 17 Qomolangma Tibetan fonts, at least eight of which are based on the handwriting of famous Tibetan calligraphers. Previously, only Uchen, the classic block-style Tibetan script, was available.

Lu Yajun, of the Tibetology Institute at the Northwest University for Nationalities, explained that the technological breakthrough had many obstacles to overcome on digital media: “Compared with the previous stiff Tibetan fonts available, the new Qomolangma fonts are more flexible. With the stretched strokes, they often remind me of shadowboxing,” said Lu.

Based on the international encoding standards and OpenType technology, the New Qomolangma fonts can universally adapt to the operation systems of Windows, Macintosh, Android and Linux.

The Qomolangma-Dunhuang font is based on Tibetan works collected in the Dunhuang Grottoes in Gansu province, the oldest Tibetan writings found on murals. The Qomolangma-Woodblock font is based on scriptures found in the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa. The Qomolangma-Edict font is based on ancient imperial edicts and historical documents, while the Qomolangma-Horyig font is based on historical stamps and documents.

The new fonts aren’t the only technological breakthrough that will benefit Tibetans. “Cloud Tibet”, China’s first internet search engine in Tibetan, will be released in August. Development of the project began in April 2013, and is expected to cost an estimated 57 million yuan ($9 million).