AirPods Live Translation Limited for EU Users: Regulatory Hurdles Delay Launch
It seems that Apple's new Live Translation feature for AirPods won't be available to a significant number of European users at launch. It's a bit of a bummer, I know! Next week, when the feature arrives, those of us in the EU with EU Apple Accounts won't be able to use it right away.
Apple mentioned on their feature availability page that "Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods" will be restricted if you're physically in the EU and your Apple Account region is also set to the EU. While they didn't explicitly state the reason, it looks like strict EU regulations are the main culprit. I mean, when does the EU NOT have regulations, right?
Specifically, the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) impose pretty strict requirements on speech and translation services. Regulators probably want to take a good look at how Live Translation works, especially concerning privacy, consent, data flows, and user rights. It makes sense that Apple wants to ensure everything is fully compliant before rolling it out across EU accounts.
The Live Translation feature, which was revealed alongside the rumored AirPods Pro 3 announcement, is also coming to older models, like AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and AirPods Pro 2. This feature allows for hands-free conversations where you can speak naturally while wearing your AirPods. If you're talking to someone without AirPods, your iPhone can display live transcriptions, translating into their preferred language.
Enhanced Communication
The magic really happens when both people in the conversation are wearing compatible AirPods with Live Translation enabled. Active Noise Cancellation automatically lowers the volume of the other speaker, helping you focus on the translated audio while keeping the conversation flowing naturally. It's like having your own personal interpreter right in your ear!
To get this new functionality, you'll need to update your AirPods with the latest firmware and pair them with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 or later. So, iPhone 15 Pro and newer models are supported. Apple has been testing the firmware alongside iOS 26 beta updates, and the official release is expected on September 15.
The feature supports real-time translation between English (UK and U.S.), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Apple plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) support later in the year. It's unclear when the EU/Apple Account restriction will be lifted, but here's hoping it is soon. I can't wait to use this feature when traveling!
Source: Mac Rumors