Apple Is Upgrading Your AirPods With a Sneaky Cool New Feature

It’s expected to work on all AirPod models … not just the Pros.

Published March 14, 2025

·

Updated March 17, 2025

Apple is apparently working on bringing a pretty neat feature to AirPods for the first time.

As first reported by Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, the feature will allow your AirPods to translate conversations in real-time. This means you and someone speaking a different language can converse in-person. Pretty neat.

AirPods upcoming new feature — The new feature will come to AirPods at the same time Apple rolls out iOS 19.

Live language translation

If this sounds all a bit familiar, you’re right. Your iPhone (and iPad) already supports live translation when using Apple’s Translate app, but now it’s coming to AirPods, which should make the conversation feel a bit more natural.

Currently, when you use the Translate app to translate conversations in real-time, it’s all done out loud over your iPhone’s mics and speakers. Two people speaking two different languages into one device is a bit, well, awkward.

When the new feature rolls out, instead of talking into your iPhone, you’ll be able to speak naturally while wearing AirPods.

When you say something in English, the translation (in Spanish, French or another supported language) will play out loud over your iPhone’s speaker so the other person can hear it. Then, when they respond, you’ll hear the return translation in English through your AirPods.

Granted, this new AirPod ability will still heavily rely on the Translate app; thus, you’ll still have to have your iPhone in hand. In this way, it’s more of an extension of your iPhone’s live-translation feature rather than a new AirPod feature … but it’s still cool nonetheless.