Live Translation through AirPods was rumored to be included in iOS 26 at some point, but it doesn't look like it will arrive with the release of the new operating system.
Apple has been rumored to introduce a live translation feature for AirPods for quite some time, allowing users to hear a conversation held in another language via the personal audio accessories. However, while it's been rumored that the feature would arrive in iOS 26, that may not be the case.
According to an anonymous source of 9to5Mac on Monday, the live translation won't make it for the iOS 26 release. Instead, it is probably going to arrive in a later software update.
The identity of the source is unknown and therefore cannot be corroborated easily. It's plausible, though.
The leaker also added extra claims about the AirPods Pro 3, in that it will gain heart-rate sensing as well as temperature sensing.
A sci-fi dream
Live translation for AirPods would make real a concept of a universal translator, as seen in TV shows such as Star Trek. Wearing AirPods, the user would be able to hear a translation of what another person is saying in a conversation, shortly after they say it.
Previous rumors about the feature explain that the AirPods won't translate for itself, but instead rely on a connected iPhone. Using the Translate app, the AirPods would pick up the other speaker, feed it to the iPhone, have it translated, then play the translation back to the user via the AirPods.
Apple already offers translation functionality in its products. More obviously, this is handled by the Translate app, but in iOS 26, this has expanded to other apps.
Users can see automatic translations in Messages, as well as live captions for video calls when using FaceTime. It also works with audio-only calls, with translations spoken aloud.
All of these are handled on-device using Apple's foundation models.
Not in the beta
The AirPods-specific version of live translation was tipped to arrive in iOS 26, but hasn't yet appeared in the beta builds as a usable feature. However, a code referencediscovered in early August hinted that it was being tested.
However, code inclusions do not directly mean a feature will appear in that operating system soon. It could simply mean Apple is testing out a feature for future inclusion, which could be months or even years away.
Apple also has a history of promising a lot of features at WWDC, but releasing them as a later update instead of the initial release.
The most recent and obvious example is Apple Intelligence in iOS 18. While the initial release didn't include Apple Intelligence, users had to wait until iOS 18.1 for some of the functionality.
A year later, Apple has yet to introduce its updated Siri, a key part of its WWDC 2024 presentation.
While it may not gain live translations, there will still be more AirPods changes arriving in iOS 26. The list includes using AirPods with Camera Control to manage the shutter, a new voice isolation mode, and more seamless use with CarPlay.
