Apple Unveils Real-Time Translation in AirPods Pro 3

Apple, Google, and Meta are working to perfect a device that has long been a staple of science fiction: the universal translator. This device, which can seamlessly translate any language into English and vice versa, has been a dream for travelers and language enthusiasts alike. Recently, these tech giants have made significant strides in bringing this dream to reality.

During the iPhone launch event on Tuesday, Apple showcased a video demonstrating a scenario that many travelers have longed for: an English-speaking tourist buying flowers in an unnamed Spanish-speaking country. The shopkeeper communicates in Spanish, but the tourist hears clear and coherent English through their earphones. This functionality is part of the new AirPods Pro 3, which will be available next week for $250. The "real-time translation" feature will also be available for AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 through a software update starting next Monday.

When both parties wear AirPods, the conversation can be translated in real-time for both speakers. In Apple's demonstration video, it appears as though the two individuals are speaking directly to each other in different languages. However, this feature will not be available in the European Union initially, according to Apple's support page.

Analysts are excited about this development, seeing it as a significant step forward in Apple's AI strategy. The translation feature requires a sufficiently new iPhone to run Apple's AI software suite, "Apple Intelligence." "If we can really use AirPods for real-time translation, this feature will definitely drive people to upgrade their devices," said an analyst from DA Davidson on Wednesday.

As AI technology advances, its translation speed can now keep up with human speech, making the translation field a key battleground in the tech industry. However, Apple is not alone in this endeavor. Google and Meta have also released hardware products with real-time translation capabilities in the past year.

Google's Pixel 10 phone has a feature called "Voice Translation" that translates the speaker's words into the listener's language during a call. This feature aims to preserve the speaker's voice tone and will be available through a software update next Monday. During Google's August live demonstration, "Voice Translation" translated a sentence from comedian Jimmy Fallon into Spanish, maintaining his voice tone. Apple's feature, on the other hand, does not attempt to mimic the user's voice.

Meanwhile, Meta announced in May that its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses can translate spoken foreign languages through the device's speaker, while the other party in the conversation can see the transcribed translation on the user's phone. Meta is expected to unveil its next-generation smart glasses at a product launch event on Wednesday, with one lens featuring a small display. It is unclear whether Meta will announce additional translation features.

Additionally, OpenAI demonstrated ChatGPT's smart voice assistant mode in June, which includes seamless translation capabilities. ChatGPT has been integrated with Apple's Siri, but voice mode is not yet supported. OpenAI plans to collaborate with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to launch new hardware products in the coming years.

The rise of real-time translation technology could reshape the entire industry. A study by Microsoft Research in August found that translators and interpreters are the professions most threatened by AI, with 98% of translation work overlapping with tasks that AI can perform.

In recent years, several specialized translation devices have entered the market. These devices leverage global high-speed cellular network services and continuously improving online translation services to offer puck-shaped devices or earphones with built-in translation features, priced at a few hundred dollars. "I appreciate what Apple is doing, as it really highlights the urgency of this issue," said the American area general manager of Japan's Pocketalk, a company that produces a $299 translation device capable of translating conversations between two people speaking different languages in both audio and text formats.

Apple's massive scale, with approximately 18 million wireless earphones shipped in the first quarter alone, will make more users aware of the recent advancements in translation technology. However, manufacturers of specialized translation devices believe that their focus on translation accuracy and linguistic expertise will result in better translation outcomes than the free translation features available on new smartphones.

"We do hire linguists," said the American and Canadian area manager of Poland's Vasco Electronics, a company launching translation earphones that can mimic the user's voice, similar to Google's feature. "We combine AI with human input, which is why we can ensure higher accuracy in all the languages we offer." Additionally, Vasco Electronics' largest market is Europe, where Apple's "real-time translation" feature is not yet available for EU users, according to the company's website.

Some of the products released by tech companies are not truly "universal," currently supporting only a few languages. Apple's feature supports only five languages, while Pocketalk supports 95. Pocketalk's general manager believes that the potential of this technology extends far beyond tourists ordering wine in France. He stated that the technology's greatest impact will be in settings such as schools and hospitals, where privacy and security requirements exceed what Apple and Google can provide.

"This is not about high-end tourism," he said. "It's about the intersection of language and communication barriers, about the conversations that must take place."