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Apple is bringing Live Translation to AirPods users in the European Union this December, finally closing a gap that left EU customers waiting. First announced with the AirPods Pro 3, the feature promises real‑time speech translation, on‑device privacy, and deeper integration across iPhone apps.
EU release explained: why it was delayed and what's new
Apple says the rollout was pushed back for EU markets because engineers needed to ensure compliance with the Digital Markets Act. That extra work is complete, and Live Translation will be available in the EU "next month" — meaning December. The capability originally supported English (UK/US), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. The EU release expands support and officially adds Italian, Simplified and Traditional Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, and Korean.
Supported languages at launch in the EU
- English (UK & US)
- French
- German
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Spanish
- Italian
- Chinese (Simplified & Traditional Mandarin)
- Japanese
- Korean
Which AirPods and iPhones will work?
Live Translation requires AirPods paired with an iPhone that has Apple Intelligence enabled and is running iOS 26 or later. Compatible headphones include the AirPods Pro 3, the new AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation, and AirPods Pro 2. If you meet those requirements, you’ll be able to translate conversations in real time across several core apps.
How the feature works — privacy, ANC, and cross‑app support
Imagine standing in a market in Rome: someone speaks to you in Italian, and your AirPods translate on the fly. That’s the basic idea. Live Translation processes speech on the device to protect privacy, so conversations don’t need to be uploaded to the cloud for translation. When both participants use AirPods with Live Translation, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) helps reduce background sound and the other person’s voice, so the translated audio is clearer and conversations feel more natural.
If the person you’re speaking with doesn’t have AirPods, your iPhone can display a live transcription of what they say, letting you read the conversation in real time. Apple also built translation into Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app, so text and voice interactions can be translated seamlessly whether you’re texting, calling, or on a video chat.
For regular travelers, multilingual households, and businesses that rely on quick, private translation, this EU launch brings a practical, device‑first solution. Keep an eye on Apple’s software updates and your iPhone settings — once your device has iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence enabled, Live Translation should appear and be ready to use.
Source: gsmarena
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