{"id":359211,"date":"2025-09-12T16:42:39","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T11:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/53454aff-fbe7-4a53-bbc2-89436bff1806"},"modified":"2025-09-12T16:42:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T11:42:39","slug":"your-airpods-are-getting-a-major-audio-upgrade-for-free-thanks-to-ios-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/your-airpods-are-getting-a-major-audio-upgrade-for-free-thanks-to-ios-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Your AirPods are getting a major audio upgrade for free &#8211; thanks to iOS 26"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-large\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage c-cmsImage_loaded\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/a3854c48cd132ba4697274834b54cfec9d2b5bfa\/2025\/09\/09\/48c4da33-232a-45c6-aa8b-6a50900e32a2\/airpodspro3-2.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=768\" alt=\"AirPods Pro 3\"><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/2276f20d67c69afba18928881607eca5b90b3c3b\/2025\/09\/09\/48c4da33-232a-45c6-aa8b-6a50900e32a2\/airpodspro3-2.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1024\" alt=\"AirPods Pro 3\"><source media=\"(max-width: 1440px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/1e8eedf684ab10f8c84835ace4d0fb5851d4db8d\/2025\/09\/09\/48c4da33-232a-45c6-aa8b-6a50900e32a2\/airpodspro3-2.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1280\" alt=\"AirPods Pro 3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/1e8eedf684ab10f8c84835ace4d0fb5851d4db8d\/2025\/09\/09\/48c4da33-232a-45c6-aa8b-6a50900e32a2\/airpodspro3-2.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1280\" alt=\"AirPods Pro 3\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Nina Raemont\/ZDNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em>Follow ZDNET:&nbsp;<span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cc.zdnet.com\/v1\/otc\/00hQi47eqnEWQ6T9d4QLBUc?element=BODY&amp;element_label=Add+us+as+a+preferred+Google+source&amp;module=LINK&amp;object_type=text-link&amp;object_uuid=5e5d2e64-4b30-43e6-8555-26eac7e449f3&amp;position=1&amp;template=article&amp;track_code=__COM_CLICK_ID__&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fpreferences%2Fsource%3Fq%3Dzdnet.com&amp;view_instance_uuid=379e95d2-6b56-476b-a90b-043a8dd63bd3\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"><span>Add us as a preferred source<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span>&nbsp;on Google.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<h3>ZDNET&#8217;s key takeaways<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Live Translation translates a conversation through your AirPods.<\/li>\n<li>It&#8217;s available with AirPods Pro 3, Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC.<\/li>\n<li>It requires iOS 26 and an iPhone with Apple Intelligence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<p>One exciting feature that Apple touted at its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/apple-events-live-updates-iphone-17-iphone-air-airpods-pro-3-and-new-wearables-just-unveiled\/\">iPhone 17 event<\/a> on Sept. 9 was live translation for the new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/these-subtle-airpods-pro-3-upgrades-would-make-them-an-instant-buy-for-me\/\">AirPods Pro 3<\/a>. With this skill, you can hear words in another language translated into your own native tongue directly through your AirPods.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If the other person also has the right AirPods and a compatible iPhone, you can both carry on a conversation hands-free. Otherwise, your own words pop up on your iPhone, translated into the other language for the other person to see and hear.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/apple-iphone-17-event-recap-reactions-to-iphone-air-apple-watches-airpods-pro-3-more\/\">Apple iPhone 17 event recap: Reactions to iPhone Air, Apple Watches, AirPods Pro 3, more<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It sounds like a real game-changer. Since my wife and I like to travel abroad a couple of times a year, I&#8217;m looking forward to trying out Live Translation the next time we&#8217;re in a foreign country. But for this to work, I have to meet a few requirements.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>I need an iPhone that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/every-iphone-model-that-will-support-apples-upcoming-ai-features-including-the-new-siri\/\">supports Apple Intelligence<\/a>. I&#8217;ve got an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/the-top-5-iphone-16-pro-features-power-users-will-love\/\">iPhone 16 Pro<\/a>. Check.<\/li>\n<li>I&#8217;ll need to be running <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/update-to-ios-26-we-tested-the-public-beta-on-our-iphones-these-features-are-a-big-deal\/\">iOS 26<\/a>. With the new OS set to arrive next Monday, I&#8217;ll soon be able to upgrade my phone. Check.<\/li>\n<li>I assume I need the new AirPods Pro 3, as Apple appeared to indicate. I do plan to buy them, so that works out. Check.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>But wait. At its iPhone 17 event, Apple made it seem as if you need the AirPods Pro 3. The keynote certainly didn&#8217;t mention compatibility with other AirPods. So I interpreted that to mean that the latest Pro model is required. And I have a hunch a lot of other people did as well.<\/p>\n<h2>Which AirPods are compatible with Live Translation<\/h2>\n<p>The <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/airpods-pro\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"><span>page for the AirPods Pro 3<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span>&nbsp;features a footnote that reveals Live Translation also works on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/ive-used-every-airpods-4-and-pro-model-since-launch-and-heres-my-buying-advice-for-2024\/\">AirPods 4<\/a> with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/how-do-noise-canceling-headphones-work\/\">Active Noise Cancellation<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/the-airpods-pro-2-have-dropped-to-a-new-low-price-heres-why-theyre-still-legit-in-2025\/\">AirPods Pro 2<\/a> and later with the latest firmware when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 and later. Further, <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/airpods\/compare\/?modelList=airpods-pro-3,airpods-4-anc,airpods-pro\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"><span>Apple&#8217;s AirPods comparison page<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span> shows live translation accessible with the AirPod Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and the AirPods 4 with ANC.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/did-the-airpods-pro-just-make-the-apple-watch-obsolete-this-new-feature-tells-me-yes\/\">Did the AirPods Pro just make the Apple Watch obsolete? This new feature tells me yes<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I still plan to buy the AirPods Pro 3 for its other unique features, including improved Active Noise Cancellation, better in-ear fit, heart rate sensor, and extended battery life. I&#8217;ve also been craving an extra pair of AirPods so I can take them with me to the gym and other places. But thanks to a handy footnote and comparison page, it&#8217;s helpful to know that I do have other options if I want to converse with another person via Live Translation.<\/p>\n<p><em>Want to follow my work?&nbsp;<span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=zdnet.com#link=%7B%22role%22:%22standard%22,%22href%22:%22https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=zdnet.com%22,%22target%22:%22_blank%22,%22absolute%22:%22%22,%22linkText%22:%22Add%20ZDNET%20as%20a%20trusted%20source%20on%20Google%22%7D\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\" target=\"_blank\"><span>Add ZDNET as a trusted source on Google<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/your-airpods-are-getting-a-major-audio-upgrade-for-free-thanks-to-ios-26\/\">Source Link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the upcoming iOS update, the latest live translation feature is accessible on more AirPods than you&#8217;d think.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14083],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-359211","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-technology-industry-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=359211"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/359211\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=359211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=359211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=359211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}