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Apple has announced that it will restrict European Union users from accessing its new Live Translation feature for AirPods. The company disclosed this limitation on its feature availability webpage on Thursday, without specifying the exact reasons for the decision.
The restriction is applicable when users are both physically located in the EU and have their Apple Account region set to an EU country. Industry analysts suggest that the European Union’s stringent artificial intelligence regulations and data protection laws may be the primary factors influencing Apple’s decision.
Understanding the Regulatory Landscape
The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) impose rigorous requirements on speech and translation services. These regulations focus heavily on privacy, consent, and cross-border data flows. As a result, regulators may seek to scrutinize how Apple’s Live Translation processes user conversations before allowing its widespread deployment.
Live Translation, which was announced alongside Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, enables hands-free communication by providing real-time translation between conversation participants. The feature is also compatible with older models, including AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and AirPods Pro 2.
Technical Specifications and Compatibility
When both speakers wear compatible AirPods with the feature enabled, Active Noise Cancellation automatically adjusts volume levels, helping users focus on translated audio while maintaining a natural conversation flow. For conversations with non-AirPods users, iPhones display live transcriptions, showing translations in the other person’s preferred language.
The feature requires AirPods running the latest firmware, paired with Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones running iOS 26 or later. This limits compatibility to iPhone 15 Pro and newer models. Apple has been testing the firmware alongside iOS 26 beta updates ahead of the official September 15 release.
Initial language support includes English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, with Italian, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese planned for later this year.
Geopolitical Tensions and Technology Regulations
The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Brussels over technology regulation. On September 5, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to launch a trade investigation to “nullify” what he described as discriminatory fines against U.S. tech companies, following Google’s nearly $3.5 billion EU antitrust penalty.
“We cannot let this happen to brilliant and unprecedented American Ingenuity,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, warning he would “start a Section 301 proceeding to nullify the unfair penalties being charged to these Taxpaying American Companies.”
Trump also criticized the EU for “squeezing billions of dollars from Apple in back taxes and fines,” claiming the company faced $17 billion in penalties. This figure appears to include Ireland’s 2024 court ruling ordering Apple to pay over $14 billion in back taxes.
Implications and Future Prospects
The restriction on Apple’s Live Translation feature highlights the ongoing challenges tech companies face in navigating the complex regulatory environments of different regions. As the EU continues to enforce stringent data protection and AI regulations, companies like Apple must adapt their offerings to comply with these laws.
While Apple has not indicated when the EU restrictions might be lifted, the company is likely to engage in discussions with European regulators to address compliance issues. In the meantime, the tech giant continues to expand its language support and improve the functionality of Live Translation for users outside the EU.
As global tech regulation becomes increasingly complex, the industry will need to balance innovation with compliance, ensuring that new technologies can be deployed in a manner that respects both user privacy and regional laws.
