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Apple Opens EU Beta for AirPods Live Translation, December Launch Set

The feature arrives after Apple reworked audio routing to satisfy EU interoperability rules.

Overview

  • EU developers gained access on Nov. 4 via the iOS 26.2 preview, with a public beta promised soon and a consumer update scheduled for December.
  • Live Translation runs on the iPhone with downloadable language models, keeps data on device, and displays on-screen transcriptions.
  • Support is limited to H2-based AirPodsAirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC—while Powerbeats Pro 2 and AirPods Max are not supported.
  • An Apple Intelligence–capable iPhone is required, currently including iPhone 15 Pro/Max, 16e, and the 16- and 17‑series, with no Mac or iPad support.
  • Ten languages are available, with manual language selection and smooth two-way speech only when both participants use compatible Apple hardware.