Apple is extending its new Live Translation feature beyond the just-announced AirPods Pro 3. The capability will also be available on AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, making real-time language translation more widely accessible for users who update their devices to iOS 26.
The feature is powered by Apple Intelligence, Apple’s on-device generative AI system, which requires at least an iPhone 15 Pro or later. This means that while multiple AirPods models can access Live Translation, the experience is still tied to Apple’s newest iPhones that support the upgraded neural processing power. For many, this creates an interesting overlap between hardware and software where the headphones serve as the interface but the iPhone provides the processing backbone.
Once enabled, Live Translation can be activated by pressing both AirPods stems simultaneously. The microphones listen for foreign speech and play back translations directly into the listener’s ears. If only one person is using AirPods, translations will be shown as a live transcript on the iPhone display, allowing the conversation to continue without interruptions. When both participants are wearing supported AirPods, the process is even smoother. Each person hears a translated version of what the other is saying, while Active Noise Cancellation briefly lowers the volume of the original voice so the translation is clear.
Apple is rolling out Live Translation with a focus on global usability. At launch, the supported languages include English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Before the end of the year, Apple plans to expand this list to cover Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. This phased rollout ensures that the feature can serve both travel and everyday communication needs across a wide range of regions.
Compatibility is an important detail for users considering an upgrade. While the AirPods Pro 3 will ship with the feature built in, existing AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 ANC owners will gain access through a firmware update. The combination of iOS 26, supported iPhones, and the latest AirPods models positions Apple’s ecosystem to compete more directly with translation solutions already offered by rivals like Google Pixel Buds.
By embedding translation into the AirPods experience, Apple has created a seamless and practical tool for conversations across languages. The balance of hardware requirements and AI-powered processing makes this feature feel like a preview of where Apple is taking its ecosystem as it builds more intelligence directly into core products.
