Apple's AirPods Pro 3 add real‑time Live Translation for in‑person conversations

Apple introduced a new Live Translation capability for its AirPods Pro 3 on Tuesday, allowing users to conduct real‑time, in‑person conversations across languages by routing audio through a paired iPhone and returning translated speech via Siri.

The company said the feature converts spoken input into another language and plays the translation into the listener’s ear, with active noise cancellation (ANC) suppressing the original speaker so the translated voice is easier to hear. AirPods Pro 3 begin at $249/£219, are available for pre‑order and will ship on Sept. 19.

Users activate Live Translation with a tap of the AirPods Pro 3. When the feature detects a foreign language, the iPhone executes the processing — Apple described the handset as "the brains of the operation" — and Siri speaks the translated result. If both participants wear AirPods Pro 3, the system can alternate translations for a back‑and‑forth exchange. If the other person lacks the headset, Apple said the speaker can read translations from the iPhone screen while the listener hears Siri’s spoken translation.

At launch Live Translation supports American and British English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese. Apple plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean and simplified Chinese later this year. The company also said Live Translation will be available on AirPods Pro 2 and the new AirPods 4, but only when paired with an iPhone running Apple Intelligence — which Apple said requires one of the iPhone 17 models, an iPhone 16 model, or the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Apple executives highlighted other upgrades in the AirPods Pro 3. The company said ANC removes up to two times more noise than the previous generation AirPods Pro and four times more than the original AirPods Pro. The headphones also include heart‑rate sensing and extended battery life. "With AirPods Pro 3, the most popular headphones take a massive leap forward, providing fantastic sound quality," Apple engineering chief John Ternus said in prepared remarks, adding that the improved fit and sensors broaden the product’s capabilities.

Technology reviewers and users have noted a short processing delay between original speech and Siri’s translation, a consequence of routing captured audio to the paired iPhone for language detection and conversion. Engadget, which tested the system, described the delay as producing "some awkward pauses". Apple’s design reduces the audible level of a live speaker so the synthesized translation from Siri can be heard clearly.

Reaction on social platforms has linked the feature to science fiction precedents. Users compared Live Translation to the "Communicator" devices in Star Trek and to Futurama’s fictional "Universal Translator," posting that the capability brings the franchises’ concepts closer to reality.

Live translation in consumer devices is not new. Google’s Pixel phones include a Live Translate tool that converts spoken language into text presented on the device’s screen. Specialty hardware makers have long offered dedicated translators: Timekettle sells a pocket‑sized translator that supports multiple languages, and other companies market wearable or handheld devices with offline translation or combined optical scanning and translation.

Apple framed Live Translation as part of a broader push to integrate on‑device intelligence with its hardware. The company emphasized that the feature relies on a connected iPhone for processing and on Siri for synthesized speech, distinguishing the experience from text‑only translation apps by delivering spoken results directly into the listener’s ear.

AirPods Pro 3 pre‑orders are open now, with shipments beginning Sept. 19. Apple’s announcement came at an event where the company also highlighted a new, thinner iPhone, and continued to stoke industry discussion about how much processing and connectivity will move onto handsets as manufacturers add more AI‑driven features to headphones and other accessories.