A new gesture discovered in the latest beta points to a long-awaited feature
A new asset discovered Apple’s iOS 26 beta 6 strongly suggests that the brand is about to bring live, in-person language translation to its AirPods.
The image, associated with the Translate app, appears to depict a new gesture—pressing both AirPods stems simultaneously—surrounded by words in multiple languages. It was first uncovered by 9to5Mac, who also last week (in a similar manner) uncovered a potentially crucial display change detail concerning the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
This finding, though, confirms that the feature is linked to the second-generation AirPods Pro and the fourth-generation AirPods. It would also fill a notable gap from Apple’s WWDC keynote earlier this year, where it announced a ‘Live Translation’ feature for phone calls and messages but made no mention of real-world conversations.
This new evidence, which also corroborates earlier reports from Bloomberg, suggests the in-person translation feature is the missing piece of Apple’s AI-powered language tools.
It’s expected that the feature will be powered by Apple Intelligence and require a connected, compatible iPhone, rather than running entirely on the earbuds themselves. But we’ll, of course, have to wait until Apple reveals all (if anything) when its annual event takes place next month. Rumors suggest it’ll take place on 9 September.
The Wareable take
For those of us who have been covering wearables for over a decade, this potential inbound feature feels like a significant full-circle moment.
Back in 2017, startups like Waverly Labs were raising millions on Kickstarter for ‘Pilot’ earbuds that promised to do exactly this, attempting to deliver the dream of a universal translator.
While those early efforts showed the potential, they were often hampered by clunky hardware, unreliable connectivity, or buggy software.
But Apple’s ability to integrate this feature seamlessly across its already-slick hardware, software, and the Apple Intelligence platform could prove to be the difference.
After years of waiting for the AirPods to become smarter and seeing rumors of potential future integrations, this also feels like a significant moment for this product line.
So, what was once the ambitious goal of a niche startup is now poised to become a native feature in one of the world’s most popular products. While, as we say, there are still unknowns about compatibility, it seems the long-held promise of real-time translation in your ear is finally on the cusp of becoming a mainstream reality.
