One of the biggest news Apple Intelligence is the Live Translation feature that Apple koneently, although still only in beta version, launched – and we tried it out. Live Translation is a feature that allows you to use headphones AirPods translate in real time from one language to another. It all works like simultaneous interpretation, and if the person you're talking to speaks German, for example, you'll hear them in English.
To make everything work for you, you need to meet a few essential requirements. The most important one is to have compatible devices, which are: AirPods 4 (ANC), AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 3. Next you need minilittle by little iPhone 15 Pro, iOS 26 and the latest firmware in AirPods. Once you meet everything, there is one more thing, the most important for us - you must be in a country where it is fully supported. Apple IntelligenceI'm answering questions in the comments right away by saying nestYou can switch the language to English and the region to the USA or use a VPN. When you are not in a country where Apple Intelligence fully 100% supported, the feature simply won't work for you.
In my case, it's the USA, where - once you meet all the above points - they will offer headphones AirPods automatically enable Live Translation when connected. They then tell you to set your language to English and download the languages. The funny thing is that Live Translation itself, or as it is called, Apple in Czech it means – Interpretation – it will notify you in Czech about the presence of the function on your phone. However, this is the first and last thing that is compatible with Czech within this function. It is beta version, so it is important to take into account that the application will sometimes crash, or that you will have to download all available languages, even if you only want to translate from one to another. In total, you will download about 4 GB of data, which includes English, French,ancOuzhe, German, Portuguese and Spanish. The feature does not support more languages yet, but I must say that these are the languages you will encounter most often in the world, and if, like me, you speak English well but can barely say hello and order a coffee in German or Spanish, you will definitely welcome the new feature.
Once you have everything downloaded and ready, simply activate the feature by pressing the touchpads on both AirPods at the same time. At that moment, a screen will appear on which the text in the original language and its translation will begin to be transcribed for you. However, the most important thing is happening in your headphones. While someone is speaking, for example, German, you hear beautiful, fluent English – and with a pleasant voice and dialect. Quite frankly, this is definitely not for watching a full-length action movie or watching some extremely fast-paced YouTube video where two people are talking. The point of the function is that you are talking to someone. For example, you speak English well and he speaks excellent German. The headphones translate your languages to each other and your conversation is 100% fluent – as if you were both speaking English or German. I tried it and it really works almost perfectly. Of course, you need to take into account that if you're talking to a guy from the Bronx and you're a person who speaks perfect German from a university environment, you'll understand each other a little more poorly.
I'm honestly shocked at how great it works, and it's exactly the feature that can change my life in the best sense of the word. I often meet someone I'd like to chat with on vacation somewhere in Spain or by the lakes in Austria, for example, but sometimes it just happens that those people don't speak English and unfortunately I don't speak Spanish or German. This way we can chat all evening over a drink and understand each other without the slightest problem.
What I don't quite understand is that Apple offers, for example, a translation from German, but this is only useful for people who do not live in Germany. When you are in Germany, as well as anywhere else in the EU, you Apple Intelligence It simply doesn't work. Of the languages offered, I actually only understand Spanish, which is spoken by half of America, but the rest of the languages will only be used by people who are actually going on holiday somewhere outside the EU. This is a great feature and we can't wait to see it implemented. Apple konewill it be offered in the EU as well – and especially when will it add other languages, although I think that English is such a foundation that thanks to Live Translation you will be able to communicate with the rest of the world, that is, when it is available Apple support. ProAt least for now, with the five languages the service offers.
It will be a real "game changer" for us when it leads to translation into CZ/SK, that is, around 2030 or never.
You write to us repeatedly that you personally do not know a single foreign language, and we all know it by now...
Here is some competition that could speak Czech and Slovak... especially our favorite Apple can't... (processed by AI)
Timekettle WT2 Edge
These headphones offer the best overall performance for simultaneous translation with 0,5 second latency and support for 40+ languages online plus 13 offline pairs. They are comfortable to wear for long periods of time, work hands-free with auto voice detection for groups of up to 6 people and have an accuracy of up to 95%. They charge via the case with a total battery life of 12 hours (3 hours on the headphones), but no wireless charging - similar to AirPods Pro 3 in practicality, but with an emphasis on translation instead of music.
ANFIER A8 AI Translator
Ideal for standalone use without a phone thanks to the built-in touchscreen and Qualcomm chip, they support 74 languages online and 16 offline with a latency of under 0,5 seconds. They offer dual mode (in-ear or speaker) and a high accuracy of 98%, which is great for both private and group conversations. The case offers long battery life (up to 40 hours total) with Type-C charging, but not wireless; outperforms AirPods Pro 3 in device independence.
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Pro Android users integrate Google Translate for live translation in 40 languages with automatic switching to transparent mode when speaking, ensuring a smooth conversation. They have excellent ANC and sound quality, with latency around 1 second and support for transcript on the phone. Charging is similar AirPods Pro 3 – wireless case with a total battery life of 30 hours, ideal for everyday use with translation.
No, yes, there are dedicated in-ear translation headphones that emphasize security and data leak prevention, often through offline modes, end-to-end encryption, and GDPR compliance. These models are designed for sensitive conversations, such as business meetings or medical consultations, where data is not processed in cloudu.
IAMJOY P200
These headphones excelThey work in offline translation with support for 13 languages without the Internet, which prevents sensitive information from being sent to the network and miniminimizes the risk of leakage. They are ideal for confidential discussions, with built-in 6 microphones and active noise cancellation for secure voice capture without external processing. The total battery life reaches 90 hours in standby, charging via Type-C, and requires app, but processing is done locally for maxprivacy simulation.
Timekettle WT2 Edge/W4 Pro
Pro enterprise environments offer robust data encryption and offline modes for 13+ languages, ensuring conversations stay on the device without cloudu. They support encrypted transmissions and GDPR compliance, with enterprise-grade security with a verifiable code. 0,5-second latency, 12-hour battery life with a case, and hands-free mode for groups of up to 6 people, ideal for secure international meetings.
ZeaHot Q16S
With end-to-end encryption and certified 99,8% offline accuracy for 144 languages, these headphones protect conversations from leaks through local processing and encrypted microphones. They are suitable for sensitive applications with low latency of 0,3 seconds and no subscription required for basic features [1]. They are Type-C rechargeable with 8 hours of battery life on the headphones, ergonomic design for long-term use, and app without cloudfor privacy.
SENPUKI M62
These headphones provide secure offline translations for 16 languages with dual encryption, preventing external access to data, and are designed for risk-free everyday use. They feature a touchscreen for local control and up to 98% accuracy, with GDPR support for European users. 4 hours of battery life on the headphones with 80 hours of standby, Type-C charging, and are lightweight for safe wearing in sensitive environments.
When everything you need is downloaded into iPhone in a supported country (e.g. the USA), will everything remain functional even after leaving this country (e.g. the Czech Republic)?