Live Translation Glasses: What They Do, Which Languages, and the iPhone Alternative
Live translation glasses explained: what Meta’s glasses translate, which languages work offline, where Google’s glasses stand, and how AirPods on iPhone compare.
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Live translation glasses are smart glasses that listen to the person in front of you and play the translation through small speakers near your ears. Some models with a screen in the lens also show the words as subtitles. Searches for them are climbing fast, so here is what they really do today.
The short version: Meta’s glasses do it now, Google’s glasses were announced but are not clearly on sale yet, and Apple does not make glasses. If you already own an iPhone and earbuds, you may not need new glasses at all.
Short answer: Live translation glasses you can buy today are mostly Meta’s (Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta and Meta Ray-Ban Display). They translate speech into your ear, and the Display model shows subtitles. Six languages work offline, more with internet. On iPhone, Apple’s Live Translation with AirPods does the same job in 11 languages on an iPhone 15 Pro or later, and a headphone app covers older iPhones and any headphones.
How do translation glasses work?
The glasses have microphones in the frame and open-ear speakers in the arms. They connect to an app on your phone over Bluetooth. When the other person talks, the glasses pick up the voice, the phone and its app turn it into your language, and you hear it in the speakers a moment later.
The other person does not need glasses. On Meta’s glasses, they read your side as text in the Meta AI app on your phone, or tap a speaker icon to hear it out loud. That is the same idea as Apple’s AirPods feature: you hear them in your ears, and they see or hear you through the phone.
Which glasses have live translation?
| Glasses | Live translation | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Ray-Ban Meta | Yes | Audio in the speakers, transcript in the Meta AI app |
| Oakley Meta | Yes | Audio in the speakers, transcript in the Meta AI app |
| Meta Ray-Ban Display | Yes | Translated subtitles in the lens, plus audio |
| Google and Samsung Android XR glasses | Announced | Shown at Google I/O 2026; check that a model is on sale before you plan a trip around it |
| Apple glasses | No | Apple does not sell glasses; its feature runs on AirPods |
Meta’s help page notes that Ray-Ban Meta Audio cannot use offline translation. Always check the exact model before you buy.
Live translation glasses languages
Meta splits its list in two. Six languages work offline once you download the language packs in the Meta AI app. Many more work only with Wi-Fi or mobile data.
| Language | Meta glasses | Apple AirPods feature |
|---|---|---|
| English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese | Yes, also offline | Yes |
| Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean | Yes, online only | Yes |
| Turkish, Arabic | Yes, online only | No |
| Hindi, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai, Dutch, Greek | Yes, online only | No |
Apple’s Spanish is Spain Spanish and its Portuguese is Brazilian Portuguese. Apple’s full list, with every region note, is on our Live Translation languages page.
How to use live translation on Meta glasses
These steps follow Meta’s own help page.
- Update the glasses’ firmware and the Meta AI app on your phone.
- In the Meta AI app, tap Glasses, then Translate.
- Pick You speak and They speak. To use it offline, download those language packs first.
- Tap Start, or say “Hey Meta, start live translation.”
- Show the other person the app, or tap the speaker icon so they hear your words.
Live translation glasses vs AirPods on iPhone
If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or later, Apple already built this into iOS. With AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Max 2, you open the Translate app, tap Live, and hear the other person in your language while they talk. It needs Apple Intelligence on and iOS 26 or later.
| Question | Meta glasses | AirPods on iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Need to buy new hardware? | Yes, the glasses | Only if your AirPods or iPhone are not supported |
| Subtitles you can see | On Meta Ray-Ban Display | On the iPhone screen |
| Hear the translation privately | Open-ear speakers, people nearby may hear | In your ears, with noise cancellation |
| Works offline | Six languages | Runs on the iPhone; download both languages first |
| Turkish and Arabic | Online only | No |
Glasses win when you want your hands and ears free, or you want subtitles in your line of sight. AirPods win on privacy and noise: in a loud train station, noise cancellation helps you hear the translation. Apple’s feature is also built into iOS, so if your devices qualify, try it first. Our AirPods Live Translation guide lists every supported pair.
Live translation on an older iPhone, without glasses
Many people look at glasses because Apple’s feature skipped their phone or their earbuds. Apple’s feature needs Apple Intelligence, which starts at iPhone 15 Pro. An iPhone 13, iPhone 14 or the regular iPhone 15 will never show the Live option, and AirPods 2, AirPods 3 and AirPods 4 without ANC are not supported.
Our app, Live Translation on Headphones, covers that gap. It works on any iPhone with iOS 18 or later and with any headphones: every AirPods generation, Beats, or wired earbuds.
- Listen tab: they speak, and you hear the translation in your headphones about a second later while they keep talking, even with the screen locked.
- Speak tab: you say your reply, and the iPhone says it out loud in their language.
- 14 languages in any direction, including Turkish, Arabic and Spanish (Mexico).
- Offline: it runs on the iPhone and works without signal once a language is downloaded. No audio is uploaded.
It does not show subtitles in a lens, and it is made by Little Tough LLC, not by Apple or Meta. If you need Hindi, Russian or Vietnamese, the app does not support them; glasses with internet, or Apple’s Translate app on the screen, are the better pick there.
Are live translation glasses worth it?
They are worth it if you wanted smart glasses anyway, or you travel a lot in the six offline languages. They are a lot to spend just for translation if your iPhone and earbuds can already do it.
A good rule: test what you already own first. Say a short phrase like “¿Dónde está la estación de tren?” to your phone and see how it sounds in your ears. If that works for you, save the money.
Comparing other wearables? Read our look at Pixel Buds translate, or see everything Apple’s feature does in the Apple Live Translation guide.
Quick answers
Can Meta glasses do live translation? Yes. Ray-Ban Meta, Oakley Meta and Meta Ray-Ban Display translate conversations through the Meta AI app. Say “Hey Meta, start live translation” or start it in the app.
What languages do Meta glasses translate? English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Portuguese work offline after a download. Meta lists more with internet, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Turkish, Hindi and Russian.
Are there Google live translation glasses? Google and Samsung showed Android XR glasses with live translation at Google I/O 2026. Check whether a model is actually on sale in your country before you buy.
Does Apple make live translation glasses? No. Apple’s Live Translation runs on supported AirPods with an iPhone 15 Pro or later.
Do live translation glasses work with iPhone? Meta’s glasses connect to the Meta AI app on your phone, which is available for iPhone. Check the glasses’ requirements for your exact model.
Do translation glasses work without internet? On Meta’s glasses, six languages work offline once downloaded. The others need Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Sources: Apple Support: Use Live Translation with your AirPods, Apple: iOS feature availability, Apple Support: How to get Apple Intelligence, Meta Help: How to use live translation on AI glasses, Meta: Real-time translation glasses, Android Authority: Android XR glasses at Google I/O 2026, App Store: Live Translation on Headphones.
