It's late to the party, but behind the scenes, Bloomberg reports that Apple is secretly working on a new feature for its AirPods that could translate face-to-face conversations in real-time.The live translation tech will be tied to iOS 19, Apple's upcoming update to its operating system used on the iPhone and other mobile devices, which is anticipated to be one of its most dramatic software overhauls in the company's history, according to . The release of iOS 19 is expected to be sometime this year.Apple's translation feature, as reported, could facilitate in-person conversations between, using the example provided by Bloomberg, an English speaker using AirPods, and a Spanish speaker.Paired with an iPhone, the English interlocutor would hear the Spanish speech translated into their native tongue through the AirPods. Then when they respond, the iPhone would play a Spanish translation of what they said through the device's speakers. And voila: language barrier broken.This isn't new tech, exactly. Google has offered live translation capabilities with its Pixel Buds since 2017, but the experience leaves much to be desired. Meanwhile, Samsung debuted a similar feature with its Galaxy Buds last year, compatible only with users of its Galaxy smartphones. Samsung's translation tech, dubbed "Interpreter," was marketed as part of its suite of "Galaxy AI" features, but it's unclear how much of the technology was actually leveraged there.So far, the "AI" buzzword hasn't cropped up in the reports on Apple's translation feature. The Cupertino-based corporation has notably struggled with its AI efforts, halting its consistently inaccurate AI-summarized headlines feature and, most recently, putting its AI upgrades for Siri on the backburner.Beyond the AirPods feature, Apple also plans to improve its translation tech in general with the software update, per the report. And it's about time: the company first released its "Translate" app with iOS 14 in 2020, to markedly negative reviews.And that's pretty much it. Details, so far, are scant. We'll probably hear more about the AirPods feature plus the long-awaited third-gen version of the AirPods Pro, which will reportedly sport built-in cameras at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June, which is when many with their ears to the ground in the Mac world expect iOS 19 to be officially announced. For now, what new twist Apple will be bringing to the table here, besides maybe a more seamless all-around translation experience, is anyone's guess.Share This Article