Nina Raemont/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Live Translation translates a conversation through your AirPods. It's available with AirPods Pro 3, Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC. It requires iOS 26 and an iPhone with Apple Intelligence. One exciting feature that Apple touted at its iPhone 17 event on Sept. 9 was live translation for the new AirPods Pro 3. With this skill, you can hear words in another language translated into your own native tongue directly through your AirPods. If the other person also has the right AirPods and a compatible iPhone, you can both carry on a conversation hands-free. Otherwise, your own words pop up on your iPhone, translated into the other language for the other person to see and hear. Also: Apple iPhone 17 event recap: Reactions to iPhone Air, Apple Watches, AirPods Pro 3, more It sounds like a real game-changer. Since my wife and I like to travel abroad a couple of times a year, I'm looking forward to trying out Live Translation the next time we're in a foreign country. But for this to work, I have to meet a few requirements. I need an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence. I've got an iPhone 16 Pro. Check. I'll need to be running iOS 26. With the new OS set to arrive next Monday, I'll soon be able to upgrade my phone. Check. I assume I need the new AirPods Pro 3, as Apple appeared to indicate. I do plan to buy them, so that works out. Check. But wait. At its iPhone 17 event, Apple made it seem as if you need the AirPods Pro 3. The keynote certainly didn't mention compatibility with other AirPods. So I interpreted that to mean that the latest Pro model is required. And I have a hunch a lot of other people did as well. Which AirPods are compatible with Live Translation The page for the AirPods Pro 3 features a footnote that reveals Live Translation also works on AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and AirPods Pro 2 and later with the latest firmware when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 and later. Further, Apple's AirPods comparison page shows live translation accessible with the AirPod Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and the AirPods 4 with ANC. Also: Did the AirPods Pro just make the Apple Watch obsolete? This new feature tells me yes I still plan to buy the AirPods Pro 3 for its other unique features, including improved Active Noise Cancellation, better in-ear fit, heart rate sensor, and extended battery life. I've also been craving an extra pair of AirPods so I can take them with me to the gym and other places. But thanks to a handy footnote and comparison page, it's helpful to know that I do have other options if I want to converse with another person via Live Translation. Want to follow my work? Add ZDNET as a trusted source on Google. Featured