Apple has confirmed that its highly anticipated Live Translation feature for AirPods will not be available to users in the European Union at launch, citing compliance issues with the bloc’s stringent digital regulations. The restriction, quietly detailed on Apple’s iOS 26 feature availability page, affects millions of EU residents with Apple accounts registered in the region, preventing them from accessing the real-time audio translation capability powered by Apple Intelligence. Unveiled during Apple’s September 10, 2025, “Awe Dropping” event alongside the new AirPods Pro 3, the feature was positioned as a game-changer for multilingual communication, but EU users will have to wait indefinitely for its rollout.
Live Translation enables seamless, real-time interpretation of conversations directly through compatible AirPods models, including the new Pro 3, Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. When both parties wear supported earbuds, the system lowers the original audio via noise cancellation and delivers translated speech, creating a natural flow akin to subtitles in real life. For one-sided use, translations appear on the paired iPhone screen. Initial language support includes English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese slated for later this year. The feature requires an iPhone 15 Pro or newer running iOS 26, which launches next week, and relies on on-device processing for privacy.
Apple explicitly states: “Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU.” The company attributes the delay primarily to interoperability requirements under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandates that large tech firms like Apple allow third-party access to core technologies to promote competition. A March 2025 European Commission decision exacerbated these obligations, forcing Apple to adapt features like Apple Intelligence. While user data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act were not cited as direct factors, experts suggest they contribute to the caution, given the feature’s handling of speech data and potential privacy implications.
This isn’t Apple’s first clash with EU rules; Apple Intelligence features were delayed in the region until March 2025, and services like iPhone Mirroring remain restricted due to similar DMA pressures. The company has previously warned that such regulations could “compromise the integrity of our products” by risking user privacy and security. Notably, the restriction is geo-account specific: Non-EU users visiting Europe or EU users with non-EU accounts may still access the feature, potentially allowing workarounds like account changes.
The decision has sparked backlash online, particularly ironic in multilingual Europe with 24 official languages. On X, users like @christiancalgie highlighted the economic irony: “EU regulations will block Apple’s new super helpful live translation feature on the new Airpods. The EU… the place in the world possibly most useful to have that feature. You starting to see why the economy’s going to hell in a handbasket?” Reddit’s r/apple thread, with over 1,100 upvotes, debated the move, with comments criticizing it as a tactic to pressure regulators or simply regulatory overreach, while others noted competitors like Google’s Pixel Buds have offered similar EU-available translation for years. @legendarygainz_ echoed the frustration: “Live translation feature for AirPods Pro 3 won’t work in the EU. Apple had to block the feature for regulatory reasons.”
Apple has not announced a timeline for EU availability, but past patterns suggest resolution once compliance is achieved. In the meantime, the block underscores ongoing tensions between Big Tech and EU regulators, potentially impacting Apple’s market strategy in the region amid broader AI rollouts.
Leave a Reply