Apple could be bringing in-person or real-world live translation to AirPods, making them even more useful than ever, especially for travellers. According to a report from 9to5Mac, the latest iOS 26 developer beta 6 includes a new system asset showing what appears to be a gesture for triggering translation. The image, which features text in English, Portuguese, French, and German, is linked to the Translate app and seems to be designed for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4. The gesture itself involves pressing both AirPods stems at the same time, which could act as a quick way to start translating a conversation on the go.

To recall, Apple first announced its Live Translation feature at WWDC 25, but the focus then was on FaceTime, phone calls, and messages. What it didn’t mention was in-person conversations, something that would fit naturally into the AirPods experience. This could put them in competition with translation-capable wearables, such as Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. While Apple hasn’t confirmed any details, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had previously reported that real-world translation was being worked on.

At the moment, it’s unclear which iPhones will be compatible with the feature, since the processing power will likely come from the phone rather than the AirPods themselves. It’s possible the requirement could match Apple’s existing Live Translation features, which are available only when Apple Intelligence is enabled on supported devices. Those currently work with select languages, including Chinese (Simplified), English (UK, US), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain). Given the higher demands of live conversation, 9to5Mac speculates it could even be exclusive to the iPhone 17 series, which Apple is expected to launch next month in September.

Now, the Live Translation feature for real-world conversations is a big deal, considering that Apple has a huge user base around the world. Imagine millions of AirPods users suddenly having the ability to live translate a conversation in their desired language on the go, will be a major feat. And even if Apple limits it at launch, it’s the kind of feature that would make AirPods a lot more than just a pair of high-end wireless earbuds for music and calls.

In other news, Apple could be planning to launch the third-gen AirPods Pro model, likely alongside the iPhone 17 series. According to an earlier report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this would make it the first major AirPods Pro update since 2022, when the second-generation arrived. While there were some minor updates later, like switching to USB-C, the design has stayed the same, and that’s likely to continue. However, another popular analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, believes the earbuds could be delayed until 2026, citing production issues.

Either way, the AirPods Pro 3 could reportedly keep the same compact white earbuds and case, with most changes happening inside. Expected upgrades include a new Apple H3 headphone chip, a U2 chip in the MagSafe charging case, and the continuation of IPX4 water resistance. There’s also speculation about new health-related features, such as body temperature sensing via the ear canal, which could provide more accurate readings than wrist-based devices like the Apple Watch.

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