Apple delays โLive Translation Feature for โฃAirPods in the European Union
CUPERTINO, Calif.โ – Apple’s highly anticipatedโ Live Translation feature for AirPods will โคnot be โขavailable to users with Apple Europeโ accounts while located in Europe, โthe company confirmed via its iOS feature availability page. Theโฃ delay appears linked to the European Union’s stringent new regulationsโฃ surrounding artificial intelligence and data privacy.
The live Translation feature, unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developersโฃ Conference (WWDC) and highlighted during Tuesday’s “Aweโฃ Dropping” event, allowsโ for real-time conversationโฃ translation between users wearing AirPods. When bothโค parties haveโ AirPods, the translatedโฃ conversation is heard directly.โ For those communicating with someoneโฃ without AirPods, the translation appears on the user’s iPhone, โoffering bothโ text and audio options.The โฃfeature โขis slated to launch โwith iOS 26โค onโข September 15 and willโฃ be compatibleโค with iPhone 15 and โlater models running Apple intelligence, as โwell as โขthe AirPods Pro 3, โฃAirPods Pro 2, andโฃ AirPods 4.
Currently, Live Translation supports English, French, German, โฃPortuguese (Brazil), โฃand Spanish, with plans โto add italian, Japanese, Korean, and โขsimplified Chinese in 2025. Apple’sโ documentation suggests the feature will function for north American โฃand other โusers visitingโฃ the EU, and potentially vice-versa, but โฃis restricted forโ those operating with an Apple Europe account within the EU.
The โdelay โคlikely stems from โคthe โEU’s AI Act, which places strictโข regulations on “high-risk use cases” of artificial intelligence, especially thoseโ concerning user privacy and potential discrimination. EU regulatorsโ might potentially be seekingโฃ assurances that data generated โขduring Live Translation sessionsโ isโฃ securely stored andโ remains within the bloc.