Your AirPods Pro could be getting a genuinely useful new AI feature this year

If you're a fan of Apple products, chances are you own a pair of AirPods. The brands earbuds have long been the hot accessory to pair with the rest of your devices from the Cupertino-based brand.

Now, a new report from notorious Apple tipster, Mark Gurman, suggests that the AirPods Pro could snag a killer new feature with the help of AI. That's a live translation feature – similar to what we find on buds from rivals, like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2.

The new functionality is said to come as part of a software update arriving later this year, according to the report. That comes via a range of unnamed sources in the article.

It will work pretty much exactly as you'd expect – when an English speaker uses their iPhone and AirPods Pro around someone speaking a different language, the devices will project an English translation into their ears. Then, when they reply, the iPhone will play a translation of what they say in the native language of the other person.

It's certainly an interesting upgrade for users. The update is expected to arrive later this year, alongside similar changes to some of the brand's other operating systems.

Rumours suggest that the iPhone could have its biggest software upgrade since iOS 7, for example. And MacOS and iPadOS aren't left out, either, with a fresh lick of paint expected which is said to take some influence from the software of the Apple Vision Pro.

It's also going to put some added pressure on the brand's AI feature suite. Apple Intelligence was the big talking point of WWDC 2024, which was nearly a year ago.

Some features have made it to the market, but the biggest one – a revamped Siri – has recently been delayed again. That, in turn, has delayed the Apple Home Hub, which is said to be waiting for the new Siri engine to be up to scratch.

Ultimately, it's been quite a lacklustre release. Hopefully new features like this can offer some buoyancy, and revitalise the AI offering for the brand.