Apple Announces Live Translation for Messages, FaceTime, and Phone Apps - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Announces Live Translation for Messages, FaceTime, and Phone Apps

Apple at WWDC today unveiled Live Translation, a new feature that breaks down language barriers across its core communication apps. The capability works seamlessly within Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, powered by Apple-built models running entirely on-device to preserve privacy.

f 46a469bcff7e03100e070c192302a0004e4269b8
In Messages, Live Translation automatically translates text as users type, delivering messages in the recipient's preferred language. Responses are instantly translated back, making international conversations effortless.

FaceTime calls gain live caption translation, allowing users to follow along with translated text while still hearing the original speaker's voice. Phone calls take it further with spoken translation throughout the conversation.

The on-device processing ensures personal conversations remain private, with no data sent to external servers. Apple demonstrated the feature with real-time travel planning scenarios, showing how users can coordinate with friends abroad without language constraints.

Live Translation represents Apple's latest push into AI-powered communication tools, following the company's broader Apple Intelligence initiative announced at last year's WWDC.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

Top Rated Comments

michaeljk Avatar
15 months ago
This is by far the most appealing feature of iOS 26. I am married to a non-English speaker (she speaks English okay, but has difficulty reading it on the fly) so if this works as promised (big if), that would be a game changer for her and us.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
page3 Avatar
15 months ago
Will it be able to translate American in to English?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
15 months ago
So with the release of the API does that mean that Whatsapp will be able to translate messages realtime like the android already does?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cnnyy20p Avatar
15 months ago
Please add more languages.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
15 months ago
Useful feature. But hopefully more languages will be supported in the near future.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jay Tee Avatar
15 months ago
It's criminal iPhone 15, 15 Plus aren't getting these.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors