Apple's live translation for AirPods is finally launching in EU
What's the story
Apple has confirmed that its AI-powered Live Translation feature will be available for users in the European Union from December. The move comes after a delay due to compliance with the EU's Digital Markets Act. The feature is a major selling point of the recently launched AirPods Pro 3, and will also be available on older models like AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 4 with ANC.
Feature details
The feature will support multiple languages
The Live Translation feature will automatically translate a speaker's voice into English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional Mandarin), Japanese and Korean. It can also seamlessly translate between pairs of AirPods by intelligently lowering the speaker's voice for better hearing of translations. This way it becomes a handy tool for communication across different languages and cultures.
Privacy assurance
Delay due to privacy concerns
In September, Apple had hinted at a potential delay in launching the feature due to "additional engineering" needed to ensure translated conversations remain private. The company was particularly focused on making sure these conversations wouldn't be exposed to other companies or developers. This commitment shows Apple's dedication toward user privacy and data security while enhancing their product's capabilities.
Beta testing
How to experience the feature early
If you can't wait for the official launch, Apple Intelligence-capable iPhones running the iOS 26.2 developer beta already support Live Translation on compatible AirPods in the EU. A public beta of this software update will also be released soon. This gives users a chance to experience this innovative feature before its official rollout next month.