At Apple’s recent event, one feature stood out: Live Translation. With the newest iPhone and AirPods Pro 3, you can hold real-time conversations across languages (Apple, 2025). No app switching, no typing into Google Translate – just talking. It feels like a big step toward removing everyday barriers.
But this is also about strategy. Apple isn’t only adding a feature; it’s strengthening its platform. Every new function makes the iPhone–AirPods ecosystem more valuable and harder to leave. Translation becomes not just a tool but another reason to stay inside Apple’s world (Tiwana, 2014).
The rollout also shows how regulation matters. Because of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Live Translation won’t even be available in many European countries at first (TechRadar, 2025). A technology built to connect people is itself limited by borders.
What interests me most, though, is the cultural impact. In countries like the Netherlands, where I study, English already dominates. Many people never feel the need to learn Dutch because they can get by in English everywhere. With real-time translation, this trend could spread even further. It might make life easier for internationals, but it could also weaken motivation to learn local languages and reduce cultural exchange.
And then there’s a practical side: what about all the moments when you don’t have your phone or headphones with you? Do we really want to depend so heavily on technology that we can’t order food, ask for directions, or start a conversation without it?
I see both sides. For international students, travelers, and businesses, Live Translation could be transformative. At the same time, there’s something valuable in struggling through a new language, in the misunderstandings and small victories along the way.
So what do you think? Will tools like this enrich communication, or will they take something important away?
References
Apple. (2025, September 9). New Apple Intelligence features are available today. Apple Newsroom. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/new-apple-intelligence-features-are-available-today/
TechRadar. (2025, September 11). AirPods’ new Live Translation feature won’t be available in much of Europe at launch. https://www.techradar.com/audio/earbuds-airpods/airpods-new-live-translation-feature-might-be-full-of-european-languages-but-the-feature-wont-be-available-in-much-of-europe
Tiwana, A. (2014). Platform ecosystems: Aligning architecture, governance, and strategy. Morgan Kaufmann.
Hi Dominik, really interesting topic you brought up! I agree that Live Translation is a game changer when it comes to travelers or business communication. However, I do believe that learning a language is something more than just translating words. Every language represents culture, customs, and traditions. Learning those can be highly beneficial in your experience during a trip, business, or living abroad. Thus, looking at it short term, Live Translation makes traveling and communicating much easier and more accessible. However, looking at it long term, learning a language makes people belong and understand different cultures, which could not be replaced by any translation tool.
Hi Dominik, this is a very interesting topic: Technology is definitely shaping the way we interact with each other, and also languages in particular. As an international student, learning a language is not just about being able to communicate with each others, but about integrating with the local culture and community.
With this in mind, I wonder about the long-term impact: will companies/employers still value multilingual skills? Will it switch from a necessity to a personal choice? However, as with everything related to advanced technology (NLP, LLMs…), there is one element that will always be needed: critical thinking. In the case of languages, basic communication may be covered by technology, but there is a deeper part, such as cultural competencies and nuanced language skills that cannot be replicated by technology.
Hi Jose, I agree that cultural understanding is becoming more and more important. Even if we speak the same language, it doesn’t automatically mean the cultural barrier is gone.
But even then, this technology might free us from spending months on a language we forget later, and we can use that energy to actually connect with people – build or extend that cultural understanding.