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(Image credit: Shutterstock / Framesira) Live translation is reportedly planned for iOS 19 later this year Real-time translation between two speakers No details of which AirPods will be supported It looks like Apple is following in the footsteps of footsteps of Samsung and Google in their attempts to bridge language barriers: a new report says that live translation is coming to AirPods in iOS 19, which will launch this Fall. Apple's a bit late to this one – Google put live translation in the Pixel Buds back in 2017 and rolled it out to more Google Assistant-enabled phones the following year – but perhaps it's been more focused on adding hearing health features to its premium earbuds and attempting to stick cameras in theres. But at last, Apple appears to be making The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy's Babel Fish a reality for AirPods buyers. You may like EarFun launches AI-translation earbuds with dual-driver audio, plus a cheap Auracast sound-sharing dongle AirPods Pro 3: all the latest rumors and leaks, plus what we want to see Real-time translation in AirPods: what to expect The news comes via the well-connected Mark Gurman at Bloomberg (paywall), who says that it'll deliver a "Star Trek-like experience to AirPods users". According to the report, the feature will make use of your AirPods as well as your iPhone. Your phone will translate the other person's speech and play that translation in your AirPods; it'll then take your speech, translate it and play that to the other person via your iPhone's speaker. The feature will be tied to iOS 19, which should be widely compatible with iPhones going back several years – though if the feature is billed as being part of Apple Intelligence, it may be limited to only newer devices. And if it's made available to every model of AirPods, I'll be amazed: I suspect it'll be reserved for Apple's more premium earbuds with active noise cancellation, to make sure you can be focused on people's voices. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. But perhaps I'll be wrong and it'll be a nice upgrade for all the best AirPods – after all, the iPhone seems to be doing the heavy lifting. With AirPods Pro 3 expected later this year, it's possible Apple will decide to make the feature exclusive to its newest buds, though I think that's unlikely. You might also like The best earbuds you can buy today Which AirPods are the best buds for you? How to buy the best earbuds and AirPods See more Earbuds and Airpods News Carrie Marshall Social Links Navigation Contributor Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. EarFun launches AI-translation earbuds with dual-driver audio, plus a cheap Auracast sound-sharing dongle AirPods Pro 3: all the latest rumors and leaks, plus what we want to see Camera-toting AirPods with Apple Intelligence said to be in active development – but the idea may be too flawed to take off Apple's banking on camera-equipped AirPods to trounce Meta smart glasses, but I'm not sure it's enough AirPods Pro’s long-promised heart-rate monitoring could be one step closer – but don’t wait up for it This Lenovo AI headphone prototype will transform you into a language expert at work, and I can't wait to try it Latest in Earbuds & Airpods AirPods could catch up with Samsung buds with a live translation free upgrade in iOS 19 AirPods 4 are down to $99 again, but there's a better AirPods Pro 2 deal that I'd buy Camera-toting AirPods with Apple Intelligence said to be in active development – but the idea may be too flawed to take off These mysterious wireless earbuds claim to monitor your heart and hearing health simultaneously, but there’s a catch Quick! 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