AirPods Pro 3, real-time translation isn't available in Europe.

The new Apple Intelligence-based feature remains outside the EU market due to Digital Markets Act rules.

This week, Apple unveiled its new iPhones and the third-generation AirPods , introducing, among the most interesting new features, real-time translation directly from the earbuds. However, this feature will not be available in Europe. According to the official support page in the US, "Live translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple account country or region is also in the EU." In other words, anyone using AirPods within the European Union with an account registered in one of the member countries will not be able to access this technology.

Apple's decision is linked to its interpretation of the obligations imposed by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European regulation designed to ensure interoperability and competition between digital platforms. Specifically, last March, the European Commission ruled that Cupertino is required to make certain functions interoperable with competing devices. To avoid potential regulatory conflicts, the company decided to completely block the function from the EU market.

This isn't the first time Apple has threatened to slow down the introduction of its artificial intelligence services in Europe for the same reasons: in recent months, executives had already raised the possibility of a slower or more limited rollout of Apple Intelligence in the continent. For now, live translation with AirPods supports English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish, and by the end of the year, it should also be extended to Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.

For its part, the European Commission has spoken out against Apple's move. A spokesperson stated that the decision was made unilaterally by the company "without any consultation with the Commission," emphasizing that the DMA "does not prevent the launch of new products on European markets; on the contrary, it preserves innovation and freedom of choice."