Apple’s AirPods Live Translation Feature Hits a Roadblock in the EU

Apple’s latest event brought a wave of excitement with the unveiling of the iPhone 17 series – including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the lightweight iPhone Air – as well as the new AirPods Pro 3. Among the biggest talking points was a futuristic feature called Live Translation, designed to break down language barriers directly through Apple’s earbuds.

However, there’s a frustrating caveat: the feature is not available in the European Union.

According to Apple’s official feature availability page, Live Translation with AirPods won’t function if your Apple ID is registered in an EU country and you are physically located within the EU. This restriction has left many European users disappointed, especially since real-time translation could be a game-changer for travelers, students, and professionals who work in multilingual environments.

Right now, Live Translation supports a limited but practical set of languages: English (both US and UK variants), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Apple has promised that more languages will be added later this year, including Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. While that’s an encouraging roadmap, it’s unclear if or when the EU will gain access. Apple has not explained the reasoning behind the regional block, leaving room for speculation about regulatory hurdles, privacy concerns, or licensing restrictions.

Despite this limitation, the new AirPods Pro 3 – as well as the AirPods 4 with ANC and updated AirPods Pro 2 – still bring plenty to the table for European buyers. Beyond translation, these earbuds boast improved Active Noise Cancellation, a sleeker design for better comfort, longer battery life, and even a built-in heart rate monitor – an unusual but intriguing addition for fitness enthusiasts. These upgrades ensure that even without Live Translation, Apple’s latest earbuds remain competitive in the premium wireless market.

For now, EU users will have to watch from the sidelines as Apple rolls out one of its most futuristic audio features elsewhere. Whether this restriction is temporary or permanent is unknown, but many are hoping that policy changes or firmware updates will eventually unlock the technology for all regions.