Google just turned every pair of headphones into a real time translator and you do not need AirPods or a new phone to use it

Google has expanded its smart AI-powered live-translation feature, so more people than ever can benefit, including Apple iPhone users. 

Last year, Apple launched its game-changing live-translation feature for its AirPods. 

But not to be outdone, back in December, Google launched the Beta of its own real-time translator for Android. 

And now, the tech giant has rolled out to iOS, and all you need is a pair of headphones and your iPhone.

The Google live-translation feature is now on iOS, and could be some serious competition for Apple

In September last year, Apple unveiled its new AirPods Pro 3 with top-notch noise cancellation and next-level sound quality. 

Alongside the new hardware, the tech giant announced that its proprietary Apple Intelligence would be coming to AirPods and offering real-time in-person translation, an absolute game-changer for folks traveling overseas.

The new feature is supported on AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, or AirPods Max 2, and the iPhone 15 or later. 

Just a couple of months on from Apple’s big announcement, Google launched the beta version of its live-translation feature, which uses Gemini AI. 

“Building on Gemini’s new live speech-to-speech translation capabilities, we are rolling out a beta experience enabling you to hear real-time translations in your headphones,” the company said at the time. 

“This new experience works to preserve the tone, emphasis, and cadence of each speaker to create more natural translations and make it easier to follow along with who said what.”

Initially, the feature was only available to Android users in select countries.

Now, Google has announced that live translation will be rolled out to iOS and launched in several new countries, including the UK, Spain, France, Germany, and Japan. 

And, unlike the Apple version, you won’t need to fork out for any new hardware to use it. 

“Live translate helps you instantly understand and connect with the world right through any pair of headphones in 70+ languages,” Google said. 

Turn your headphones into a real-time translator

All of the translation is done on your mobile device, which means that any headphones you use, whether they’re AirPods or cheap ones you picked up at the airport, will work. 

To access it, you’ll need to download the Google Translate app and then tap the Live Translate icon at the bottom. 

Here, you’ll find several modes, including Listening, Conversation, and Text Only. 

Tap Conversation and the app will provide two-way translation, playing the audio either through your headphones or your phone’s speaker. 

You don’t even need to tell it which languages you’re speaking and hearing, as the app can automatically detect them.

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