One of the main highlights of Apple's recently released new product AirPods Pro 3 is its ability to translate received audio in real time, but this feature will not be available in the EU when it is launched.
According to information released by Apple on its official iOS 26 feature page, users who live in the EU or use an EU Apple ID will not be able to use the real-time translation feature driven by Apple Intelligence. The feature will later be available on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models as well.
Industry analysts believe that the reason behind Apple's restriction is likely to be the EU's strict regulations on user data protection, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and the ongoing EU Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act).
Affected by these regulations, Apple was forced to postpone the launch of some AI functions in the EU market last year. EU users will not gain access to some features until March 2025.
The delay in the real-time translation function is another example of Apple's response to the EU's strict supervision, and also highlights the reality that technology giants are constantly weighing between data compliance and the promotion of innovative functions.