The company has steadily added new features to AirPods via software updates, which means users don’t have to buy new pairs to take advantage of enhancements. — Reuters
Apple Inc is planning a new AirPods feature that allows the earbuds to live-translate an in-person conversation into another language, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The capability will be offered as part of an AirPods software upgrade due later this year, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the effort is private. It will be tied to iOS 19, the upcoming update to Apple’s mobile-device operating system.
Rival earbuds, such as Google Pixel Buds, have had the option for years. And Apple has offered its in-house Translate app on the iPhone since 2020.
Still, the move promises to bring a Star Trek-like experience to AirPods users. The capability will work like this: If an English speaker is hearing someone talk in Spanish, the iPhone will translate the speech and relay it to the user’s AirPods in English. The English speaker’s words, meanwhile, will be translated into Spanish and played back by the iPhone.
A spokeswoman for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment.
The AirPods upgrade is part of a broader overhaul of Apple’s software this year. The company is planning its biggest-ever revamp for iOS, in addition to a redesign of macOS, aiming to refresh the operating systems for a new generation of users, Bloomberg News reported earlier this week. Apple also is bolstering the translation technology in iOS 19, beyond the new AirPods feature.
The company has steadily added new features to AirPods via software updates, which means users don’t have to buy new pairs to take advantage of enhancements. Last year, Apple introduced options related to hearing health to the second-generation AirPods Pro. That included a hearing aid and test features that don’t require a doctor’s visit.
The company is still working on new AirPods hardware, including a third-generation version of the AirPods Pro. It’s also developing a model with built-in cameras that use artificial intelligence to analyse the surrounding environment. Last year, Apple rolled out new colors for the AirPods Max headphones and low-end AirPods 4 models. – Bloomberg
