Overview
- Apple has activated Live Translation in the European Union with iOS 26.2 in beta, initially supporting nine languages including German, English and Chinese.
- Using the feature requires an iPhone 11 or newer, supported AirPods (AirPods Pro 2 or 3, or AirPods 4 with ANC) and Apple Intelligence enabled, with in‑ear translation for both parties only when each has compatible gear.
- Apple says conversation processing runs locally on the device and no audio is uploaded, and it attributed the later EU debut to work to meet Digital Markets Act requirements.
- Google announced a Translate update that brings live speech translation to many third‑party headphones and integrates Gemini to improve handling of idioms and conversational context.
- Google’s live translation is rolling out first as an Android beta in the United States, Mexico and India with support for over 70 languages, with iOS and broader availability planned for 2026.