Apple has announced the forthcoming expansion of its Live Translation feature for AirPods to include the European Union (EU) region. Originally introduced in September with the launch of AirPods Pro 3, as well as being compatible with AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 2, this feature enables real-time language translation for users paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 or later.
The initial rollout offered support for English (UK and US), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. However, EU availability was initially withheld. Apple has confirmed that EU users will gain access to Live Translation in December. This delay was attributed to “additional engineering work needed to comply with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act,” according to Apple.
With the forthcoming EU launch, Live Translation will support an expanded range of languages, including English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional Mandarin), Japanese, and Korean. The functionality is designed to protect user privacy through on-device processing. The feature leverages the active noise cancellation (ANC) capabilities of compatible AirPods to mitigate background noise, facilitating a more natural and focused conversational experience.
For interactions with individuals not using AirPods, Live Translation provides the option of displaying a real-time transcription of the spoken language on the iPhone screen. Furthermore, the feature is integrated across several Apple applications, including Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app, ensuring seamless translation capabilities during text-based communication and voice calls.
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