last December Google TranslateLaunchingReal-time translation earbudsAfter the feature was released, it sparked considerable discussion—it can turn any pair of headphones into an instant translator, and when the other person speaks a foreign language, your headphones will instantly play the translated content, which is provided by Gemini Driven’s translation preserves the speaker’s original tone and rhythm. However, at that time this feature was only available to Android users first, while iPhone users couldn’t enjoy it yet.Google They’ve only announced that it will support iOS in 2026.
Finally, the earbuds real-time translation feature officially launched on iOS at the end of March! At the same time, Google also announced its expansion to more countries.
Google Translate’s real-time earphone translation officially arrives on iOS, supporting 70+ languages and expanding to 7 more countries
Google on its official blogTwo major updates announced. First up, the one most people have been waiting for: official iOS support. When it first launched last December, it only supported Android, with Google already hinting it would expand to iOS in 2026—and now that promise has finally been fulfilled. Second, expansion to more countries. Originally only available in three countries—the US, Mexico, and India—this time around, seven new countries have been added, bringing the total to 10 countries where users can access this feature.
It’s also very easy to use. First, make sure you have installed or updated to the latest version of the Google Translate app. Then, open the app and select “Live Translate” → “Listening” mode and connect your earphones. When the other person speaks, the translation will be sent to your earphones in real time:
When using this feature, keep the phone facing the speaker so the microphone can pick up their voice clearly for better translation results. With this function, you’ll never have to worry about language barriers when traveling abroad—whether it’s not understanding the local language, listening to airport announcements, asking for directions, or shopping—you can get real-time translations directly through your earphones.
Unfortunately, Taiwan is not among the 7 newly added countries this time, which include France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Thailand, and the UK. Together with the US, Mexico, and India that were already supported, there are now 10 countries where the headphone real-time translation feature is available. However, since Japan and other Asian countries like Thailand have been added this time, Taiwanese users may not have to wait too long.
Introducing Google Translate’s Real-time Headphone Translation Feature
Google Translate’s real-time earphone translation feature was launched in December last year. Since it was still in beta at the time, it was only available to Android users in a handful of countries, including the United States, Mexico, and India. The feature is powered by Google’s own Gemini 2.5 Flash Native Audio model, representing Google’s first deep integration of Gemini AI capabilities into its translation function.
Unlike traditional translation tools, it doesn’t translate word-for-word. Instead, it understands the context of the message, and can more accurately translate idioms and slang. According to Google, this AI-based translation approach improves accuracy of idioms and figurative expressions by about 15% to 20% across nearly 20 languages.
Additionally, the translated voice preserves the original speaker’s tone, rhythm, and emphasis as much as possible, so you can not only understand what the other person is saying, but also feel the emotions and intonation in their speech, making it easier to identify who’s talking—this is especially useful in group conversations.
More importantly, this feature isn’t limited to any specific headphone brand—whether you use AirPods, Sony, Bose, or any other Bluetooth headphones, as long as they can pair with your phone, they’ll work, unlike Apple’s AirPods-only limitation.
Source: KOCPC Chinese