It looks like AirPods might soon be able to translate conversations in real time. iOS 26 beta 6 includes new imagery showing AirPods alongside the word “Hello” in multiple languages, hinting at an in-person Live Translation feature.
The file is even named “Translate,” suggesting a dedicated gesture to activate it. Double-tap perhaps?
Spotted by 9to5Mac, the image is tucked away in the Translate app’s resources. This aligns with earlier reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who claimed that AirPods would gain a translation mode for real-world conversations.
How It Might Work
- Gesture Activation: Likely triggered by a double press on the AirPods stem.
- Compatible Models: Based on the beta assets, the feature could be available for AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, and quite possibly the rumored AirPods Pro 3 that could be announced on September 9 at the iPhone 17 launch event.
- Apple Intelligence Integration: Given that current Live Translation features for Phone, Messages, and FaceTime require Apple Intelligence, it’s likely this AirPods feature will also need an iPhone compatible with Apple’s AI suite.
Related: iOS 26 Adds Smarter Charging Alerts and Status Indicators to AirPods
Whether Apple launches this with iOS 26 or in a later update remains to be seen, but it would mark a major step in making AirPods an even more powerful on-the-go tool for travelers, multilingual users, and global communication.
Comments