Google Just Made a Key AirPod Feature Obsolete

Google has brought its Gemini-powered "Live Translate with headphones" feature to the Google Translate app on iOS, letting iPhone users hear real-time translations through whichever headphones they choose.

To use it, you'll need to be in the United States, Europe, India, Japan, or Thailand. Open the Google Translate app on your iPhone, select the languages you'll need, pair your Bluetooth headphones, and tap Live Translate to begin listening. The app captures audio from the headphone mic (or the iPhone mic, if your headphones don't have one), runs it through Gemini, and sends the translated speech to the headphones in near real time.

The feature can be used in conversations, lectures, announcements, or when you are watching foreign entertainment without subtitles, as long as the phone picks up the audio clearly.

Google's live translation feature works with any wireless headphones, including AirPods and third-party Bluetooth earbuds. Apple ...