One of the headlining features of Apple’s new AirPods Pro 3 is the ability to translate incoming audio in real time. However, it seems this feature will not work in the European Union at launch.
On its official page detailing the features available on iOS 26, the company stated that EU residents or those with EU Apple IDs will not be able to use the live translation feature. This functionality is powered by Apple Intelligence and is also expected to come to AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2.
This limitation is likely due to the European Union’s stringent rules around user data protection. These rules are outlined in laws such as the GDPR and the Digital Markets Act, as well as the EU AI Act, which is currently being rolled out.
Apple previously had to delay the release of some AI features in the EU last year due to these regulations. Users in the EU eventually gained access to some of those features in March 2025.