Apple has increasingly focused on transforming the AirPods into wellness-oriented devices rather than just promoting them as basic wireless earbuds. Late last year, the AirPods Pro 2 added features like Loud Sound Reduction, a hearing test system, and even a hearing aid function.
Now, Apple is reportedly working on a real-time translation feature for the AirPods, set to launch later this year. According to Bloomberg, this update aims to break down language barriers during in-person conversations and could be included in the iOS 19 bundle. The translation system will be two-way, with both the AirPods and iPhone playing crucial roles.
How It Works
The iPhone will act as the translation hub, converting one language into another and transmitting the translated audio to the AirPods. At the same time, the second language will be translated back and played out loud through the iPhone’s speaker, allowing the other person to hear the translation in their own language.
The exact translation engine Apple will use remains unclear, and it is not mentioned whether the system will incorporate AI or how many languages it will support. Regardless, this feature is a significant addition to the AirPods lineup—but Apple will not be the first to offer such a tool.
Apple’s Late Arrival in the Translation Game
Google’s Pixel earbuds have been offering real-time translation for some time, thanks to Google Translate. The Pixel buds support translations in nearly 50 languages, with users able to choose between Conversation Mode for live voice translation and Transcribe Mode for text translations..
Even AI chatbots, such as Google’s Gemini, offer language translation features, contributing to the growing trend of translation technology.
Given Apple’s existing partnership with OpenAI, which powers ChatGPT for Siri, the company could leverage this technology for the new translation system. Neural machine translation has also seen significant advancements, with multiple open-source models available for use.
Meta, for instance, open-sourced its AI-driven translation tool in 2022, which supports nearly 200 languages. However, considering Apple’s strong stance on privacy, the company may choose to either rely on a trusted partner or develop its own translation system. The latter could offer on-device translation, which would be faster and more secure than cloud-based options.